Opposition leader and Maroubra MP Michael Daley vowed this week he would kill the Port Botany cruise terminal plan ‘stone dead’.
Given the polls are predicting the Liberal government in NSW could be on the nose, it’s a threat the cruise industry is taking seriously.
Mr Daley, along with the Member for Heffron, Ron Hoenig, tabled 10,000 signatures, collected from residents opposing the state and federal government’s plan to use Port Botany as Sydney’s third cruise terminal site.
Mr Daley told Cruise Passenger he had spoken with cruise lines and he maintained they were opposed to the plan to utilise Port Botany.
“This is a dumb and stupid idea and it doesn’t stack up economically and environmentally. The cruise lines don’t want it and it’s my solemn promise that if I’m elected as premier, that this plan will be shut down,” he said.
“There is enough space at Garden Island for the Navy to share and it is the option the cruise lines want.”
But Mr Daley could not disclose which cruise lines he had spoken to that oppose the Port Botany plan.
The debate was heated, with over 100 residents from the local area in attendance, booing and jeering from the gallery.
“I will say this to the Premier and the people concocting this scheme,” Mr Daley MP said in parliament.
“There was no warning, this was a plan contrived in secret. There was no consultation, no respect for the communities. That’s how they roll, but we intend to stop them at the border of the seat of Maroubra.”
“The cruise lines only come in and spend eight to 12 weeks during the summer season so the Navy should spare a berth to share with cruise ships.”
Heffron MP Ron Hoenig pointed out that the Opera House and Harbour Bridge were key attractions to cruise visitors and, wealthy passengers with “pockets full of gold” did not want to be sailing into Port Botany.
“Instead of turning into Sydney Harbour and looking at the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, they are going to go past South Head and turn into Botany Bay and be faced with an oil refinery and chemical plants and stinking tanneries,” he said.
But Kevin Anderson, the Parliamentary Secretary for RMS said that the plan was still in early days and that the community will be consulted.
“We are at the start of any option, you will be consulted and you will have your say. We want to hear your views.”
He also reminded the gallery of the economic benefit the cruise industry injects into the state.
Mark England, a Randwick resident said, “Building a cruise terminal in the Yarra Bay area will be a shame as it is a greenbelt area that is relatively untouched. It is a peaceful area and pristine place and people who live nearby passes through the place one way or another. I would imagine that it is logistically possible to fit the next terminal in the Sydney harbour.”
Having cruised several times and living in Illawarra we get to. Terminal by train to circular quay an easy way within 2 hours ..port botany??how do you get there wat a dumb idea thought up by rich polies and there government cars leave it in Sydney harbour…!!! [email protected].
Thousands of people in the South-Eastern suburbs of Sydney are opposed to this proposal for so many reasons.
• Loss of beaches for swimming and recreation. La Perouse and Yarra Bay are calm, safe and protected beaches making them ideal for families. These beaches have been holiday destinations since the late 19th century.
• Loss of flat water for recreational activities. Watercraft including sailing dinghies, kayaks, windsurfers, yachts & motorboats will be excluded if the terminal is put in place due to commercial port restrictions.
• Impact on Indigenous Australians. The Aboriginal land council of La Perouse has not been consulted. They have formally expressed their opposition to the cruise ship venture in Yarra Bay & their concerns about overdevelopment having a detrimental impact on their social and spiritual connection to land as well as the destruction of traditional fishing areas.
• Water pollution. There are serious concerns that dredging will stir up the contaminated sediment & silt from decades of poor waste disposal & environmental management from chemical plants nearby.
• Concerns for marine habitat and possible species extinction. The bay has regular visits by dolphins, whales, turtles and fairy penguins. Molineaux Point is home to a seal colony and also rare Pygmy pipefish which are protected by the EPBC act of 1999. This species is extremely susceptible to habitat change and disturbance from dredging will increase the likelihood of species extinction.
• Loss of green space and park area. Local parkland may also be lost for infrastructure to support the cruise ship operations. Currently, the open space and surrounding walking tracks are shared by the community including families, walkers, runners, bicyclists, dog owners & model plane enthusiasts.
• Traffic congestion concerns. Local residents, local businesses including the port and airport users will suffer from increased volumes of trucks servicing and provisioning the cruise ships as well as competition with busses transporting thousands of visitors daily to the city.
• Loss of recreational fishing. The cruise ship exclusion zone will halt safe, protected recreational fishing in Yarra Bay rendering the recently installed artificial reef obsolete.
• Historical significance of the area. The site where La Perouse and Captain Arthur Phillips anchored will now be replaced by the cruise ship terminal. Molineaux and Bumborah Point are on the State Heritage register. There is also concern for the heritage listed Chinese market gardens near Yarra Beach.
• Noise and Air pollution. Residents will be subject to 24 hour noise from operations & the unknown health consequences from mega emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen and volatile organic compounds.
• Loss of Views. The public will no longer be able to enjoy the scenic beauty and open views across the bay from the parks, beaches and walking tracks. Yarra Bay beaches are also frequently used for movies, documentaries and advertisements because of its beautiful, hidden jewel quality. Also, the unique Westerly outlook means that every year hundreds of couples record their special day with spectacular sunset wedding photos. This will be lost.
• Environmental/port functionality concerns. The bay in most places is only a few metres deep so substantial dredging will be needed. Experience has shown that break walls built for one purpose can significantly adversely affect other areas in the vicinity through coastal erosion. Every year this area suffers extreme weather conditions and huge swells. In severe weather cruise ship activity or the wave ‘bounce back’ from break walls may also impact shipping lanes and business operations for the port. A cruise terminal will impact on the operational efficiency of the port and freight handling.
• Locals and wider Sydney community to suffer. La Perouse and Yarra Bay are the last beaches left on the North side of Botany Bay. The beaches are used by locals and tens of thousands more people from all over Sydney because of their easy access from the Western suburbs by the M5 motorway. According to an Energy Australia study, in summer 7500 people come every day to La Perouse.
• Safety concerns. The terminal would be directly adjacent to major hazardous facilities, including Bulk Liquid, Chemical and Gas storage. The International Pilots Association has expressed concerns about the close proximity of the ships to the airport leading to possible turbulence and visibility issues on take-off. A cruise ship catastrophe as a result of adverse weather or human error also puts the freight port operations at risk.
• Concerns about the decision making and consultation process. The location of all 14 proposed sites for the cruise ship terminal have not been revealed. A ‘Captains call’ was made by the Hon Malcolm Turnbull to abandon the preferred site of Garden Island and insubstantial information is available about the other two harbour sites considered. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed he is unwilling to revisit this decision. The Cruise Ship industry and Ports NSW have been extensively consulted in secret negotiations whereas locals who are directly impacted have been deliberately excluded from the process. Deals have already been made and the project appears to be progressing. Due process seems to have been ignored. This is at odds with the message given by the NSW Liberal Government about engaging with relevant stakeholders. There are also concerns about serious conflicts of interest with some of the key individuals influencing decisions. Some key advocates have also not been declaring how the Botany Bay option will put them in a position to personally benefit financially.
What a loon. “8 to 12 weeks!” What rot.
Most visiting cruise ships are here 5-6 months. But why let the facts get in the way of a good argument, especially if you want to dictate government policy.
Wish we could just have sensible rational analysis instead of over emotive accusations designed to whip up hysteria.