Glebe reprieve? Government ready to talk about Sydney’s last port
A push from industry leaders desperate to save Sydney Harbour’s last working port has made some headway. The NSW Government has agreed to meet a coalition trying to save Glebe Island.
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The NSW Government has agreed to meet industry bosses fighting to save Sydney Harbour’s last working port with a formal showdown likely post-Christmas.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday revealed a coalition of impacted stakeholders wrote to Premier Chris Minns seeking an urgent discussion on the potential closure of the port at Glebe Island.
Twenty-one organisations make up the coalition that is out to protect the port and shield the city from the serious economic fallout they say would follow any shutdown.
A government-commissioned review is assessing Glebe Island’s future — including the prospect of replacing its port with apartments to support a ‘Bays’ Metro West station coming online in 2032.
Margy Osmond, CEO of the Tourism & Transport Forum Australia and a member of the coalition, confirmed a Government response to the group’s letter.
“They’ve reached out to a few of us — to understand where the coalition is coming from — but there is a need to have a more formal discussion,” Ms Osmond said.
The coalition is pushing for a working harbour forum early next year.
Key Opposition figures are backing their position.
Shadow Tourism Minister Kevin Anderson said: “The working port is critical from an economic perspective.
“It keeps the city alive and pumping, it supports so many sectors including the cruise ship industry. But it’s also part of the beauty of our harbour.”
Shadow Treasurer Damien Tudehope said a working port in Sydney Harbour “is a no-brainer”.
He said it was “self-evident” housing costs would escalate if construction materials currently shipped to Glebe Island had to be freighted from Newcastle or Port Kembla.
Other potential outcomes from the review include the port facility continuing untouched with no residential encroachment, or a hybrid version where apartments and the port coexist.
According to Mr Anderson the land use mix in a hybrid scenario would be difficult to achieve and lead to NIMBY activism.
“It would be killing off the working harbour by stealth,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Premier said: “We’ve been clear Metro West is a city shaping project, and we need to make sure we maximise the housing around these new transport hubs.
“We’re looking at the best way to do this. The government has consistently highlighted the need to maximise the public benefits of the $25.3 billion public investment into Metro West.”
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