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

New Look Shadow Cabinet Puts Hunter in the Spotlight

BY LILLY HAINES

Jodi McKay has made her first trip outside of Sydney since being named leader of the state opposition, to meet with the five Hunter MPs named in her shadow cabinet.

Meeting with local members at Nobby's Beach on Friday, the former Newcastle MP said she wanted her first trip to be to the Hunter because the area means so much to her personally.

The meeting officially introduced the local MPs granted portfolios in the new shadow cabinet, including Deputy Leader and Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley.

Ms Mckay said she is thrilled to have the "girls from the Hunter leading the Labor Party", with both herself and Yasmin Catley hailing from regional New South Wales.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington takes on the role as Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage, and Shadow Minister for Rural Health.

Member for Charlestown Jodie Harrison is joining the shadow cabinet for the first time in her role as Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Learning, which Jodie Mckay says will be important as "Labor sees education as a priority going forward".

Cessnock MP Clayton Barr is taking on the role of Shadow Minister for Water, Innovation, Science, Tertiary Education as well as Shadow Minister for the Hunter.

"It was really important for me that the role of Shadow Minister for the Hunter role was not just focused on the city area of Newcastle," said Jodi McKay.

"I wanted to pay tribute to all those people in the Hunter Valley and I wanted Clayton to take on this role so he could be an advocate for Cessnock, Singleton, Muswellbrook, and Scone because it is important for those communities to know that we are there for them as well."

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison steps into the role of Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Medical Research, and Investment and Tourism.

Jodi Mckay said under her leadership the party plans to reconnect with rural and regional New South Wales and is using the appointments of these MPs to key cabinet portfolios to reflect this commitment to regions like the Hunter.

"This region is so important to the economic prosperity of this state," she said.

"I know what makes this region tick, I know how people here feel and think and it is important for me personally that we have a strong team coming from the Hunter."

The opposition leader also used the opportunity to reaffirm Labor's position on a proposed container port terminal in Newcastle, calling for action from the state government.

The comments come after NSW National party leader John Barilaro said he would support removal of restrictions for the expansion of a terminal including the removal of the cap and fee on container movements.

Mr Barilaro was referring to the presence of a clause inserted into the port sale contract by then Treasurer Mike Baird that imposes a cap and fee on all container terminals coming out of Newcastle Port.

Ms McKay said the deputy premier has long claimed he is willing to "stand up to" the coalition's Liberal members and says he should stop posturing and actually deliver for the people of the Hunter.

"The Nationals sat around the cabinet table when their Liberal masters drew up the sale documents for the state's port so John Barilaro can strut and crow as much as he likes about keeping the Liberals honest but this is a real test for him,"

"The people of Newcastle and the Hunter want to see action and even the Nationals rank and file members can see that the regions have been shortchanged because of the deal."

Hunter MP's announced in the Shadow Cabinet met at Nobby's Beach today.
L-R Clayton Barr, Yasmin Catley, Jodie Harrison, Kate Washington, Jodi McKay, Tim Crakanthorp, Jenny Aitchison.

State Government Putting Nearly $1 million Back into Newcastle

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The state government is putting nearly $1 million back into Newcastle for six community projects.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald announced the funding for the infrastructure projects which will be funded under the annual Newcastle Port Community Contribution program.

"This is a dividend that comes back to the Newcastle Port region every year, about $1 million, and it was set up when the Port was put through a long term lease so there's a return every year that goes back to the community to put towards assets, build community programs and that sort of thing," said Scot MacDonald.

The largest project to be funded from the nearly $1 million is $450,000 towards an 'active hub' in Griffith Park at South Stockton. The $1.25 million hub is set to feature a skate plaza, children's adventure playground and barbecue and picnic facilities.

Artist impression of the planned 'active hub' at Stockton.
Image Newcastle City Council

"Although this is only a short ferry ride from the Newcastle city centre, it is important to provide great facilities all around the port, not just the city side," said Scot MacDonald.

Along with money towards the hub, other projects getting some funding include:
- $135,000 for five research-based place activation initiatives by the University of Newcastle
- $365,000 for an upgrade of council-owned open space landscaping near "Wine Selectors" and Lee Wharf residential apartments in Honeysuckle to improve the link between the city adn the harbour
- $50,000 towards the Light Up Newcastle Chinese Lantern Walk in 2018 and;
- $148,000 for a public art installation at the historic Newcastle Railway Station of the "Newcastle Flyer" steam train

"I think it's important to honour the heritage and this is going towards a representation of the 'Newcastle Flyer' - that'll be a public art installation up at Newcastle Railway Station. There's no doubt that the CBD and the corridor and the Port are going through a lot of change so this is about remembering and respecting that heritage," said Scot MacDonald.

He adds all the projects will benefit both the city and the harbourside, improving the link between them and honouring the history of all of Newcastle.

"Everybody appreciates the city is going through a lot of change and the Port is seeing a lot of development but it's important that the public can access it and appreciate it and it's family friendly. I think these are really good initiatives."

Work at Newcastle Port back in Local Hands

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

It's a victory for local workers this week, with local engineering company Varley Group securing a contract to unload wind turbine cargo at Newcastle Port.

The change comes after a shipping company who previously used Singaporean workers on 457 visas to do the job, caved from community pressure.

Maritime workers held a protest at Newcastle Port earlier this month in protest of foreign workers taking their jobs.

Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon says this turnaround is a terrific win for Newcastle locals.

Workers protesting at Newcastle Port [Image: Maritime Executive]

Both for our local workforce, certainly for Varley Group...and also just stopping what was one of the most exploitive moves ever trying to replace a local workforce with a foreign workforce that was to the best of our knowledge, not receiving the right wages or conditions for the job."

She says the Unions were a key factor in keeping the work local.

"The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union and the Maritime Union of Australia have done a great job in bringing community workers together to ensure that this outrageous attempt to deploy a fly-in crew from Singapore to do the work that men and women in Newcastle have been doing for generations - it's great to see they've been able to garner enough community support and pressure to stop that practice in Newcastle."

According to the MP, when companies give these contracts to foreign workers, it's often a case of exploitation for the sake of profit.

"They're paying those overseas workers lower wages and not paying attention to their level of skills," she said.

"It's just a classic case of a company trying to cut corners on safety and further suppress wages and conditions in order to make a bigger profit at the end of the day."

Despite the victory, Sharon Claydon still believes we need to be on our guard to help protect Australian jobs.

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

Government Plans to Undercut Newcastle Port

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

The State Government has found itself in hot water after a confidential document was released, which detailed a plan to compensate two Sydney container terminals at the expense of Newcastle Port.

The arrangement came to light after a confidential document was obtained by the Newcastle Herald, which outlined how the Sydney ports would be kept in business at the expense of Newcastle Port.

Newcastle Port [Image Source: Liam Driver, via The Australian]

The agreement would see Newcastle Port compensating Port Botany and Port Kemblar for every container carrier which passed through the port.

Estimations put the cost at roughly $1 million for each carrier.

The State Opposition have been questioning the Government for years over whether or not this proposed arrangement existed, with Labor asking at least 100 questions.

Tim Crakanthorp

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp made 37 of those questions and says the answers have been “dodgy, redirections and contradicting”.

“This Government has been lying through its teeth,” he said.

“It’s only now we’ve got this secret document that we can see in black and white that a deal’s been done that snowballs Newcastle and the Hunter economy.”

Crakanthorp has been especially critical of how the plan goes against the Liberal party’s belief in “free enterprise and competition”.

“This Government’s continually refused to disclose details of anti-competitive arrangements and now this document’s released, it’s time the Government set the record straight,” he said.