OCEANIA

Co-ordinate Australian port investment

17 years ago

Ports Australia executive director David Anderson has called for Australias three levels of government to co-ordinate their investment in regional ports and the supporting supply chains.

He told the Regional Ports 2009 conference that governments needed to engage the general public on the advantages of infrastructure to the same degree as health care.

Mr Anderson added that regional ports were still holding up well in a sluggish economic environment, which indicated there was a need for a government focus on regional investment.

Meanwhile, a draft report into Victorian ports has recommended that the regional ports of Geelong and Portland, and current activities at the Port of Hastings, be freed from regulatory pricing regimes.

The report, by independent economic regulator Essential Services Commission (ESC), says pricing should be liberalised for breakbulk cargoes (excluding motor vehicles), liquid bulk and dry bulk trades for all ports, including the Port of Melbourne.

It further suggests maintaining price monitoring only for port berth services for container and motor vehicle cargoes and for shipping channel services.