Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I am not going to even attempt to follow the theatricality of that, but I certainly would say to the member for Bowman that I am very pleased to second the resolution. This is a resolution that is extremely important from two perspectives. Of course, Labor supports our cruise-liner industry, our tourism industry more generally, and of course as a representative of the seat of beautiful Sydney, which incorporates Sydney Harbour, its islands and its foreshores, I am a great supporter of the environmental constraints that the member is proposing, but also, of course, of keeping our working harbour. To keep our working harbour, we need to ensure that our working harbour, the tourism industry and the industries associated with it take account of the rights of the residents of Sydney Harbour, too. Australian ports and our shipping industry are a very important part of our economy: they are important to our productivity, to jobs, to our long-term prosperity. So too is our tourism industry. The member spoke about the growth of the cruise part of the tourism sector, and how important it has been. I think it something to be celebrated and acknowledged.

But we know that in this area, in ports and shipping more generally, the operators of shipping have increasingly been making a priority of environmental sustainability. They have responded, in part, by changing their operations. We need to do much more and much better in this area; we need to consider how the operations of the cruise liners are affecting the quality of life, the safety and the health of local communities and residents.

Labor supports the protection of the health of harbourside communities. We certainly think that protection should be brought into line with international standards. I have met a number of times with the residents in my own community about the impact of cruise ships docked in White Bay in particular. Residents of the nearby Balmain peninsula live with these harmful sulphur emissions because of our environmental standards in Australia. They also live with an enormous amount of traffic noise and other inconveniences that come with the docking of the cruise ships at White Bay.

When White Bay was approved, the community was told at the time that there would be best practice environmental regulation. That has not occurred. Local residents deserve clean air and they deserve a response to their complaints—more than 300 complaints in a seven-month period. That is why I was pleased to hear the Liberal's announcement this week. But I also remind people that some time ago New South Wales Labor announced that it would support a range of new regulations around the emissions at the White Bay Cruise Terminal. New South Wales Labor proposed to bring the operation of White Bay into line with world's best practice, firstly by designating White Bay as an 'emissions control area' and reducing the maximum allowable sulphur content of the fuels used by cruise ships from the current 3.5 per cent to 0.1 per cent; secondly, by banning overnight berthing at the terminal, thirdly, by implementing independent noise monitoring and greater penalties for breaches; fourthly, by immediately investigating ways to implement ship-to-shore power, as recommended by the recent New South Wales upper house inquiry; and, lastly, by negotiating with the federal government to secure greater access for cruise ships to Garden Island.

Luke Foley, indeed, initiated the recent New South Wales upper house inquiry into the operations of the EPA, and was responsible for ensuring that White Bay was included as one of the terms of reference for that inquiry. The upper house inquiry recommended stronger environmental measures by the EPA at White Bay, saying that it 'failed to anticipate the magnitude of the impacts experienced by residents.'

New South Wales Labor's proposals are not radical. They are quite in line with what the member is proposing. They would simply bring New South Wales into line with regulations already in place in North America and in Europe.

The Australian cruise industry is a great asset and many operators have already made efforts to reduce emissions from ship engines. Many cruise operators are moving towards new technologies that reduce their environmental impact. But my friend, Verity Firth, who will be the next member for Balmain, has been making the case very strongly that this process must be sped up and that the concerns and rights of residents need to be taken into account.

I congratulate Labor in New South Wales for bringing these matters to a head, and I will work with them to ensure that this issue is resolved for residents and for industry in the best, fairest and most practical way.

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