Federal move mooted

Mr Costello is proposing that export port regulations be coordinated, particularly on issues such as pricing.

Australian Association of Ports & Marine Authorities executive director John Hirst says a more efficient national system might streamline the industry and concedes some degree of federal regulation could be justified.

Furthermore, Shipping Australia chief executive Llew Russell says Mr Costello’s proposal not only deserves the support of the industry but is consistent with SAL’s own view.

“It has been a long-standing concern within our membership that port development is not co-ordinated and the regulations particularly from an access and pricing point of view certainly need a national approach.” Ballast water management is one such area.

Mr Russell says Mr Costello’s ideas raise the question of development and how federal regulation would impact on the planning and delivery of new infrastructure.

This, he says, is a fundamental issue, and in this context “strong leadership from the Federal Government can only be beneficial”.

The managing director of major logistics and transportation group Toll Holdings, Paul Little, also guardedly welcomed the idea that duplication in the ports sector could be addressed.

“There is no doubt that if you are able to overlay all port operations with one regulator that would bring certain efficiencies going forward.” Mr Little said that security was an area that could benefit from greater co-ordination.