By VANESSA CHIRCOP
THE State Government last week announced a further $400 million will be invested at the Port of Melbourne to consolidate the import and export auto trade at Webb Dock.
The works will expand Melbourne’s existing automotive terminal capacity to handle in excess of 600,000 vehicles annually and will also deliver on-dock pre-delivery inspection (PDI) facilities.
Premier Ted Baillieu said this announcement would bring the overall investment in the Port of Melbourne Expansion Project to $1.6 billion and create an additional 420 jobs during the construction phase.
Shadow Minister for Ports, Infrastructure and Major Projects Tim Pallas said the $400 million would only be passed onto businesses.
“This massive debt will inevitably be passed down the chain to those businesses accessing the port and eventually consumers,” Mr Pallas said.
“Victorian’s will not only be paying for the port redevelopment through their taxes but will also be hit with a second whammy when business is forced to pass on the extra costs.”
Hobsons Bay City Councillors have also raised concerns about how the development will affect traffic, noise and visual aspects of Hobsons Bay.
At a council meeting Cr Altair said the expansion would have some direct impact on traffic, particularly around the West Gate Bridge.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said while the port’s expansion was good for jobs, it was bad for the local community who would suffer from the constant flow of freight vehicles.
Ports Minister Denis Napthine said the Victorian Government was implementing a sound strategy for the state’s commercial ports.
“At the moment, about 60 per cent of all imported vehicles are trucked across the West Gate for PDI processing in the Western Suburbs, with about a third of these vehicles then returned across the West Gate a second time for delivery to eastern Victoria.
“By consolidating all PDI at the Webb Dock site and utilising the new terminal’s direct access to the M1, this project will create efficiencies for the industry and encourage further investment from the private sector.”
