Michael Daley vows to kill Botany cruise plan in fiery parliament debate

Opposition leader Michael Daley vowed to stop “kill” the Botany cruise terminal plan “stone dead” during a fiery debate in the NSW state parliament this morning.

Opposition leader Michael Daley vowed to stop “kill” the Botany cruise terminal plan “stone dead” during a fiery debate in the NSW state parliament this morning.

The Maroubra MP spoke in the house alongside Heffron MP Ron Hoenig after collecting a 10,000 signature petition to trigger the debate.

The packed public gallery heckled Liberal MPs and the speaker repeatedly threatened to have them removed as they voiced their displeasure during the morning session.

Federal Labor member for Kingsford Smith Matt Thistlethwaite called on the Prime Minister Scott Morrison to step in.

“I will say this to the Premier and the people concocting this scheme,” Mr Daley MP said.

“If you want to see a strong community, if you want to see a united community, if you want to see a determined community, look to the people sitting in the gallery now. They will not be pushed around, we will not be pushed around.

“There was no warning, this was a plan contrived in secret. There was no consultation, no respect for the communities.

“That’s how they roll, but we intend to stop them at the border of the seat of Maroubra.”

Bill Burst from the Save the Bay Coalition speaking.

Having described the plan as “absolute folly”, he concluded: “I will make this promise to the people of our area, wherever you live on Botany Bay … if Labor wins the election in March, if I am your Premier, I will kill this thing stone dead.”

Mr Hoenig MP describe the proposal as embarrassing and argued it would not work for local people or the cruise industry.

Describing wealthy passengers arriving in the city with “pockets full of gold,” he said: “Instead of turning into Sydney Harbour and looking at the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, they are going to go past South Head and turn into Botany Bay and be faced with an oil refinery and chemical plants and stinking tanneries.”

Kevin Anderson MP, Parliamentary Secretary for RMS, spoke on behalf of the government.

Addressing the public gallery, he said it was very early days for any potential scheme.

“Ladies and gentleman, we are right at the very start of any option … you will be consulted, you will have your say, thank you for coming to parliament today, we want to hear your views.”

Trevor Walker tells the rally the plan will damage the way of life of Aboriginal people.

He also reiterated the importance of ensuring Sydney had the capacity to cater for the increase in cruise ships.

“Cruising is the fastest growing tourism sector in NSW,” he said. “The Government recognises the benefit of this growing sector and is considering how we can support the cruise industry and further grow the visitor economy.”

Prior to the debate, members of the Save The Bay Coalition group staged a rally outside Parliament.

Among those in attendance were Kingsford Smith Federal Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite, Greens MP David Shoebridge, Randwick Mayor Kathy Neilson, deputy mayor Danny Said and the former mayor Lindsay Shurey.

Greens Legislative Council member David Shoebridge.

Mr Thistlethwaite called on the Prime Minister to step in.

Commenting on potential environmental damage, he said: “We don’t want Yarra Bay tuned into a cruise ship terminal. It would mean that the weedy sea dragons and pygmy pipehorse that inhabit those waters would no doubt be eliminated.”

Trevor Walker, a key indigenous figure in the area, also addressed the rally and warned that a terminal would damage the Aboriginal way of life.

“We’ve had enough of all this infrastructure. It is the Aboriginal community that has been affected the most by all this stuff,” he said.

“Our people still fish the waters there and the seafood is very important to our people. So we want to send a message to Gladys to say no cruise ships in Yarra Bay.”

Randwick Mayor addressing the rally

Billy Burst, from the Save the Bay Coalition, said there was consensus among everyone he has spoken to.

“I’ve never been involved in something this big where everybody is on the same page,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter from what walk of life, what your background is, this has brought people together closer than ever before.

“You have people here who would never talk to each other in normal life but are here together fighting this.”