Opposition would scrap Port Kembla move if elected

Staff WriterFebruary 12, 2007, 12:00 amFebruary 12, 2007

Commercial shipping was unlikely to return to East Darling Harbour again, despite state opposition plans to reverse a decision to move vehicle, ro&#47ro and break bulk cargo to Port Kembla, according to Asia World Shipping managing director Ken Fitzpatrick. Opposition planning spokesman Chris Hartcher said last week that the opposition would keep Sydney Harbour as a working harbour if it won office at the March 24 state elections. The move also jeopardises State Government plans to re-develop the 22 ha of land at East Darling Harbour. Port Kembla would be the &#8220winner&#8221, Mr Hartcher said. But Mr Fitzpatrick said this morning (Monday, February 12) that East Darling Harbour and the vehicle imports seemed to be a lost cause. &#8220East Darling Harbour is a very difficult case to save,&#8221 Mr Fitzpatrick said. &#8220As I understand it, there is $160m to $170m of investment at Port Kembla. &#8220I don’t know whether it will be possible to turn the wheel back, certainly as far as the car industry is concerned.&#8221 It follows a call by opposition leader Peter Debnam at the Save Sydney Harbour forum last week (Wednesday, February 7) that the decision should not be at the expense of Sydney’s role as a working harbour. Mr Hartcher has since been reported by the Illawarra Mercury as saying that he wanted a three-month review of the move before a decision would be made. But a spokesman from Mr Debnam’s office said that he was not aware of any change to the opposition’s earlier pledge to reverse the decision in full. Illawarra and Sydney business groups have slammed the plan, which they said would strip the Wollongong region of up to $200m of economic benefits and up to 1,000 jobs. The move to Port Kembla is already underway, with construction of new multi-purpose facilities at the port well advanced. Vehicle importers reluctantly confirmed plans last month to go ahead with the shift by 2008. Sydney Chamber of Commerce executive director Patricia Fortsythe said the plan to scrap the East Darling Harbour development was bizarre. &#8220The idea that you have to choose between a working harbour and further development of the city’s commercial centre is wrong,&#8221 Ms Fortsythe said. &#8220There are more sensible options for developing the freight infrastructure needs of the city. &#8220It appears the plans to scrap East Darling Harbour were done without consultation with the business community.&#8221