The NSW Government has today 25 January 2024 released the long awaited Final Report of the Independent Review on the Ports and Maritime Administration Act (the Act) and the Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy (PBLIS).
Led by independent reviewer Mr Ed Willett and supported by Transport for NSW (TfNSW), the NSW Government announced on 12 November 2021 it would undertake a comprehensive review of the Ports and Maritime Administration Act 1995 (the Act) and the Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy (PBLIS).
KEY POINTS OF THE FINAL REPORT
The 241 page report provides extensive detail and a forward looking agenda.
- The Final Report has made 37 recommendations relating to the Act and PBLIS. All 16 of the Act recommendations will be adopted. Further stakeholder consultation will occur on 20 of the 21 PBLIS recommendations before making a final decision on these.
- PBLIS recommendation 18, to engage NSW Ports – the private port operator - as a service provider to administer elements of PBLIS has not been supported. The current arrangement where Transport for NSW administers the Regulation is considered appropriate at this time.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NSW FREIGHT POLICY REFORM
Coinciding with the release of the Final Report the NSW Minister for Transport, The Hon.Jo Haylen MP, has today also announced a policy reform program to be led by TfNSW in order to address the key issues facing the freight industry in NSW.
Reporting to the Minister, the following panel of experts will assist in the development of a new freight strategy for the State :
• Kerry Schott AO
• Lucio Di Bartolomeo
• Hermione Parsons
The policy reform will focus on the different parts of the supply chain, with ports, rail, road and intermodal facilities all considered as part of a coordinated supply chain to determine the right policy framework to optimise safety, sustainability and productivity.
The NSW Government have stated that immediate priorities for the panel will include responding to recent IPART reviews of third-party freight rail access and consideration of the determination of compensation to be paid by the Port of Newcastle for increasing container operations in terms of NSW port policy.
The panel will also review and consult with industry on the recommendations by Mr Ed Willett's review of the port regulatory framework and the regulation of the movement of containers at Port Botany to provide advice to Government to respond to the recommendations.
Stakeholder engagement will commence with the release of a Discussion Paper and is expected to occur in in the first quarter of this year.
Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) will be reviewing the Final Report in depth and will keep members up to date in the coming days on pertinent developments on the report findings..
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