Mounting Evidence Against Need to Deepen
Blue Wedges spokesperson Jenny Warfe today welcomed the advice from infrastructure expert Peter Fitzgerald that the case for channel deepening is grossly overstated. “Mr. Fitzgerald’s analysis of the Drewry Report confirms our long held stance that the project is not justifiable on environmental or economic grounds” she said.
The Drewry Report was relied upon by government when it gave its in principle support to the channel deepening project in 2002. Mr. Fitzgerald was obliged to obtain the Drewry Report under FOI, having first attempted to obtain the document via normal departmental channels. The report clearly demonstrates that the case for channel deepening is not clear cut, and that complexities interact in international shipping, and national and state trade that make the case for the project less than outstanding.
“It is appalling that government’s 2002 in principle support for this project did not take this report more seriously. The people of Victoria are being asked to underwrite potential catastrophic damage to the Bay, and to businesses that rely on it, with only the less than credible PoMC sponsored economic analysis.”
“The Drewry Report forces us to look at the issue of who will pay for this project. It suggests that benefits to shippers would be around $6 per container if the project went ahead. The PoMC’s proposed levy on shippers of $20 per container however should make shippers think hard about whether they really support this project”. “If shippers don’t want to pay for the project, who will?” said Ms. Warfe.
The Report also estimates that 75% of the potential benefits from channel deepening are gained by deepening only 50 cms. “This outstanding revelation alone tells us that we should look again at the case that has been prepared by the proponents, the Port of Melbourne Corporation – who have publicly stated their commitment to the project in its current form”, she said.
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