MTAG presents at the Inquiry into the Proposed Lease of the Port of Melbourne
In late September MTAG’s Martin Wurt and Narelle Wilson gave evidence at the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Proposed Lease of the Port of Melbourne. Unfortunately there were some fairly major technical issues with the video and PowerPoint presentation. Despite this and some tricky questions from the committee, MTAG managed to clearly convey the severity of the health and safety impacts the port’s operations have on this community and the urgent need for real solutions now.
In our written submission and at the hearing we asked for the enabling legislation to address the health impacts of truck related diesel pollution on neighbouring communities and to ensure that:
• The new lesee is made responsible for strict environmental controls over the quality of the truck fleets using the Port.
• The new lesee is required to assist with the development of freight on rail infrastructure.
• The government develops new road freight infrastructure as well as the implementation of local residential truck bans.
Going forward it is essential that the Port starts taking responsibility for what happens outside of its fence and its environmental impact on neighbouring communities. Freight must be moved in a more sustainable manner to cope with expected growth at the Port and ensure that this growth doesn’t further compromise our health and safety.
Read the full transcript of the hearing here.
See MTAG’s PowerPoint presentation here and the video we tried to show here.
And read MTAG’s written submission here.
The Maribyrnong City Council also made a written submission and presented at the hearings. Like MTAG, CEO Stephen Wall and Mayor Nam Quach also raised concerns about the impacts that future growth at the port will have on the City of Maribyrnong, highlighting the serious health and safety risks that are already present in the community. Read the transcript here.
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