State Government Sinks Opportunity for Newcastle Cruise Terminal

BY MEGHAN RICHARDSON

The state government has attracted criticism after refusing to support the development of the world-class cruise ship terminal in the Port of Newcastle.

The original development was announced in 2016 with a $12.7 million dollar budget allocated for construction.

The Liberal Government has now backed out of their promise to fund the first-class cruise port.

Newcastle MP, Tim Crakanthorp pushed for a motion calling on the Government to reverse its decision to withdraw funding.

The motion was narrowly defeated with a vote of 47- 45.

The cruise ship terminal promised to bring in thousands of tourists into Newcastle and the Hunter.

It was theorised it could add a significant boost to local businesses and assist the struggling Newcastle economy 

Mr Crakanthorp  claims Government MPs are being hypocritical by refusing to support the Newcastle terminal while boasting about pork-barrelling funding for their own electorates.

"This Government has spent $55 million dollars on the port of Eden," Mr Crakanthorp claimed. "Yet when we want some money here in Newcastle, the second largest city in the state, for the same thing, we are rejected when we request that little bit more than that 12.7 million dollars"

He says the people of Newcastle are fed up with the Government's unfair treatment.

"I'm constantly being contacted by local people who are very unhappy about this government and their inability to facilitate a cruise ship terminal in Newcastle," Mr Crankanthorp says.

Mr Crankanthorp says he will keep pushing the state government but for now the possibility of a world-class cruise ship terminal for Newcastle seems dead in the water.

The scrapped designs for the terminal released in 2017

Cruise Terminal Funding Loss A Setback For The Region: Hunter Business Chamber

BY JARROD MELMETH

The New South Wales Government has made good on its pre-election threat by pulling $12.7 million funding from the Newcastle Cruise Terminal project.

The funding for the Port was announced in 2016 by former Premier Mike Baird, but last year the port revealed the project had suffered cost blow outs and the new building would not be able to serve as a home port for ships as a result.

Since revealing the cost blow outs, the NSW Government have refused to provide more money for the project.

"Port of Newcastle has been working on this project on behalf of the NSW Government on the basis of providing a facility that meets the cruise industry's needs while remaining within the funding provided.

"While disappointed construction of the terminal facility cannot proceed at this time, we respect that funding is no longer available," a statement form the Port of Newcastle said.

In a statement to 2NUR-FM, an Infrastructure NSW spokesperson said "the $12.7 million in Restart NSW funding remains available to Port of Newcastle should the project be delivered as per the original scope agreed in the funding deed."

Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes has described the move as a significant setback for the region.

"The loss of funding is very disappointing, particularly for those tourism operators whoa re investing in facilities and services to improve our visitor economy.

"We are currently receiving around 28,000 passenger visits per year from cruise ships and many of those are overseas visitors.

"It is clear that the existing facilities are inadequate for a growing market and do not help create a good first impression for our visitors," Mr Hawes said.

The Port of Newcastle is acknowledged as an emerging tourism gateway in the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan, which Mr Hawes says it should be treated as such.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp is accusing the government of short changing the project causing it to stall.

"We've known that Newcastle would need more than the poultry $12.7 million provided, when Eden, in the Minister for Transport's electorate is about to cut the ribbon on a $44 million cruise ship terminal," Mr Crakanthorp said.

What could have been. The designs for the new terminal released in 2017.

The current cruise terminal. Photo: The Newcastle Herald.

Newcastle Cruise Ship Terminal To Drive Tourism Growth

BY IAN CROUCH

Work is well under way on the much anticipated $13.5 million cruise ship terminal at Carrington.

New mooring bollards are being installed which will allow for much larger cruise ships to berth at the facility than is currently possible.

Cruise liners carrying up to 3,900 passengers will start arriving in early 2019, with Royal Carribean vessel, Explorer Of  The Seas booked to make two visits in February 2019.

The Explorer Of The Seas

The current mooring facility can accommodate ships carrying 2,900 passengers.

The state and federal governments have contributed $800,000 towards construction of the new bollards.

One Of The New Mooring Bollards At Carrington.

 NSW Planning Minister, Anthony Roberts says the terminal will be an important piece of tourism infrastructure for the region.

"The potential here to bring in an additional cruise ships up to almost 4,000 people which on average inject about a million dollars into the local economy, (this) is critical not just for Newcastle but for the region," he said.

Port of Newcastle CEO, Jeff Crowe says they hope to release concept designs for the new terminal later this year with construction to start in early 2018 and finishing by the end of next year.

"There is potential for bigger ships, but certainly the Explorer of the Seas will be the biggest vessel we've had to date," he said.

Newcastle Port CEO, Jeff Crowe, NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts and Senator Arthur Sinodinos Inspect Work on the new mooring bollards at the Carrington Cruise Terminal Site