Subsidy for Tas's overseas export freight

The Commonwealth will spend almost $203 million to expand a Bass Strait freight scheme to level the playing field for Tasmanian businesses.

The current scheme, which aims to help businesses pay for the cost of Bass Strait shipping, does not include freight which is destined for overseas markets.

Starting in January, the expansion of the scheme rectifies this to "level the playing field for more Tasmanian businesses," federal infrastructure minister Warren Truss said on Thursday.