OCEANIA

Call to privatise Melbourne

13 years ago

Privatising the Port of Melbourne would help facilitate the development of a container terminal at the Port of Hastings and deliver flow-on benefits, according to Australian Logistics Council chief executive Michael Kilgariff.

Melbourne needs outside investment says ALC. Credit: © Port of Melbourne Corporation

In a recent address to the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia, Mr Kilgariff said while it appeared the Victorian Government did not have plans to privatise or long-term lease the port, doing so would release funds for alternative road and rail investment.

One such project was the development of landside logistics at the Port of Hastings, which the State Government has previously identified as a key area for expansion to both facilitate expected growth in the container trade as well as enhancing competition in the sector.

The Victorian Government earlier this year committed A$110 million to progress staged expansion planning at the port, but at present this is not expected to result in construction commencing until somewhere between 2018 and 2025.

Mr Kilgariff said investing in infrastructure boosted freight efficiency, as had been evidenced from the privatisation of New South Wales’ Port Kembla and Port Botany. He also suggested that both the Port of Melbourne and Port of Hastings could be privatised together.