Adam Marshall-success with Newcastle Port change

Last week State Parliament passed the Port of Newcastle (Extinguishment of Liability) Bill 2022, allowing the Port to start constructing a new deep port container terminal, which will slash rail freight costs and grow profits for producers in northern NSW.

This is a huge result for our region!!

This Bill, brought forward by my colleague and good mate, Independent Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper MP, finally breaks the impediments placed on the Newcastle Port, when Port Kembla and Port Botany were privatised by the State Government in 2013, requiring the State to compensate those two ports if container traffic at the Port of Newcastle exceeds a cap.

These Port Commitments Deeds (PCD) created a monopoly for the movement of containers in NSW, for which our region’s farmers and businesses have continued to pay the price. It was vital we moved with the times and instead facilitated millions of dollars of private investment, to establish the Port as a leading NSW grain export and receivable facility. Our grain growers will now soon have a gateway to world markets on their doorstep, now that those redundant rules, keeping the door to Port of Newcastle locked and bolted, have been removed.

Establishing a container terminal at Port of Newcastle has the potential of cutting the cost of grain rail freight by $16 to $22 per tonne – putting huge dollars back in the pockets of growers and the local economy. Not to mention, adding vast value to the $195 million Moree Special Activation Precinct.

Thank you to everyone who supported this important legislation to open up more economic opportunities for our region!  Personally, I am proud as punch with the passing of this Bill - it’s been a long hard road, but we got there in the end!