Treasurer Baird Home Free: Baird Called On to Meet Save Our Ports Campaigners

The Save Our Ports Coordinating Committee today resolved that there would be no demonstrations to confront the Treasurer and Minister for Industrial Relations Michael Baird (pictured) when he attends the Illawarra Business Person of the Year Awards in Wollongong tomorrow.

In a statement, the Committee says: “We know many people in the business community who oppose the privatisation of Port Kembla, and out of respect for them, we are not organising a demonstration at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre for the Treasurer's visit.”

“Many business people are helping us with our petition against the privatization. The Port Kembla Chamber of Commerce has been particularly supportive.”

The Committee has asked Mr Baird to meet with a delegation so that the concerns of the community would be listened to.

The Committee has written to the Treasurer, stating: "We know that opposition to the privatisation is deeply felt and widely shared. At the Friday market in Crown St, we were collecting more than one signature each minute for our petition opposing the privatisation of the Port. At the Saturday market at Warrawong, we collected more than two signatures per minute. People were queuing to sign.” 

The Committee is hoping for a big turnout at the public meeting in Wollongong Town Hall on Wednesday 7 November at 6.30pm when the Minister for the Illawarra and Minister for Finance Greg Pearce MLC will speak about the privatisation of the Port along with Secretary of the South Coast Labour Council, Arthur Rorris.

ABC journalist Nick McLaren will be MC for and mediator of the debate.

OPINION - Port Kembla comparisions with Piraeus in Athens

Be Afraid – be very afraid. Port Kembla Harbour may well be a done deal re-sell off sorry lease. Trevor Mott writes.

Who knows who the lessee will be, but as sure as night follows day nothing will ever be the same again.

Capitalism or even State ownership does not mean the employees will receive a fair deal as the present day experience in Greece shows. State ownership does not mean the Greek Government rather the Chinese Government owned Cosco who now won fifty percent of the Port of Piraeus.

With Greece in financial dilemma, the Chinese took the opportunity shelling out $647 million dollars to get a foothold. Efficiency or as the Chinese commented "Every one here knows you must be hard working".

The harsh reality of privatization is hitting home with a sharp reduction in wages and job protection being the collateral damage. The thinking of capital is basically summed up this way I quote "We want to make money with work too many Europeans have pursued a comfortable, protected existence since world war two" unquote.

Sadly with privatization the Greek worker enjoyed at time enjoyed substantially more weekly income than the Chinese Government owned Cosco in fact today the Greek worker  is payed seven times less than the Government owned stevedoring.

The deputy director at the Piraeus Port Authority recently commented about the Cosco operation "Its like another country here".

That is the reality facing Port Kembla if or when it is leased. In fact before getting back to Greece a harsh reality confronts Australia if a foreign enterprise secures the Port for ninety nine years.

Security is compromised with the owner having full operational control, not a realistic situation or practical if the truth is known.

Back to the Port of Piraeus the same deputy director has accused the sold off part of the port are using subcontractors to hire unskilled, non union workers desperate for jobs.The workers are exploited by paying low wages.

The Chinese are accused of cutting safety corners and initiating third world standards.

The privately run part of the port are accused victimizing any worker who have the temerity  to raise concerns about safety violations.

A list of issues are clearly unsatisfactory to the Greek dock worker although it appears they the worker either accepts it or out the gate. The Chinese if they are the top bidder for Port Botany and Port Kembla have a saying regarding stevedoring "Cosco is their future  we are here to stay".

Really is that what the people of NSW desire a Port controlled not by the people of NSW, the profits of what appears a futuristic port going to either a foreign government or a foreign enterprise, a port where workers safety and conditions now enjoyed taken away.

Naturally emotional arguments about being efficient will be raised the bottom line is at what cost?

Forget about the million dollars over ninety years for the Illawarra there are far more burning issues that require answering, is it a done deal, are we going to be cop are company coming in running over everything Australian.

The State Government from recent past experience will legislate to run roughshod over the community.

It's time to volunteer!

The Save Our Ports campaign is looking for volunteers for a range of actions coming up.

There will be a Save Our Ports stall at Wollongong Mall markets from this Friday onwards. Come on down and meet the campaign members, and if you have time to spare, why not pitch-in for an hour or two!

The Wollongong stall, along with others being organised for Dapto, Coledale and elsewhere, will be an information point for members of the public to pick up a flyer about the campaign, sign the Save Our Ports petition and talk to others passionate about the privatisation of Port Kembla.

Volunteers are also needed for the Save Our Ports Wollongong Town Hall meeting being held 7 November 2012, as well as letter boxing and handing out at train stations and student campuses.

If you would like to help out with campaigning, email saveourports@gmail.com for more information, or come on down to the Wollongong Mall market stall this Friday to find out more!

Forum Date Set - Minister for the Illawarra to address the community

Today, the Minister for the Illawarra and Minister for Finance Greg Pearce MLC has confirmed he will address a Community Forum on the future of Port Kembla Harbour.

The Forum, to be held on Wednesday 7 November 2012 at 6.30pm at Wollongong Town Hall, will discuss the pros and cons associated with the proposed privatisation of the Port of Port Kembla. ABC journalist Nick McLaren will be MC and mediator for the debate.

The forum is open to the public and will provide an opportunity for our local community to be informed about the State Government proposal and raise questions answered directly with Mr Pearce.

Secretary of The South Coast Labour Council Arthur Rorris will also speak at the Forum. Mr Rorris said, “Finally the Illawarra community will have our chance to hear directly from the Government about the port privatisation proposals and to weigh up all sides of this argument.”

Cr Vicki Curran added, “We are still waiting on a response from the NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, but we hope he will prioritise the Illawarra community on the 7 November and attend what is sure to be a ‘Great Debate’ regarding the privatisation of our Port”.

Access to Port Bid Documents Remain Private and Confidential

Today, inquiries to receive a copy of the Expression of Interest (EOI) form for potential bidders for the lease of Port Kembla and Port Botany have not been forthcoming.

An advertisement seeking Expressions of Interest was posted in Tuesday's newspapers media. NSW Treasury has outsourced the EOI’s to Morgan Stanley, and information is being tightly regulated by the private firm.

Sources state that Treasury has made very clear that confidentiality is of the “utmost importance”. The documents will be difficult to get under freedom of information laws.

Save Our Ports members are continuing to seek the EOI’s. Something as basic as an EOI should not be so difficult to obtain under normal circumstances. 

All paperwork related to the privatisation is important, and preventing the release of information does not seem a legitimate way to handle the process.

The campaign encourages all members of the community to seek the right to access these documents.

Image (c) R. Worthington 2012.

Update: Cheap Port Price Reveals O'Farrell is Betting On Private Investors To Fix Transport Issues

The O’Farrell Government’s plans to privatize Port Kembla provide a window into a much bigger plan to outsource the fixing of transport infrastructure around NSW and the Illawarra.

The NSW Infrastructure Report released yesterday hints that the indirect benefits of the cheap price of the Port lease are geared towards the hope that private investment will fix the state’s transport problems.

The report makes clear that the NSW Government wants private money to finish the Maldon Dumbarton railway link, a project on the back burner for decades, but one that will increase the viability and growth of the Port.

All indications are that the O’Farrell Government is putting up Port Kembla at a cheap price so as to facilitate this.

The $100m the Illawarra will receive from the $500 million sale price will go to further facilitate the lessee's interests. There will be nothing for education, health or any other benefits.

Council Calls on O'Farrell for Town Forum on Fate of Port Kembla

Today Wollongong City Council’s Port of Port Kembla Working Group has invited NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, NSW Treasurer Mike Baird, Minister for Roads and Ports Duncan Gay and Minister for the Illawarra Greg Pearce to a Community Forum at Wollongong Town Hall to discuss the privatisation of Port Kembla.

The forum provides opportunity for Council and the Wollongong community to be informed and have concerns addressed and questions answered directly from the NSW State Government.

The Council Working Group – formed by Council to advance Council’s position on the possible privatisation – has provided Premier O’Farrell and respective Ministers with four possible dates to chose from being Tuesday 16 October, Tuesday 23 October, Monday 5 November or Tuesday 6 November 2012. 

The forum will be mediated by Quentin Dempster and aired on ABC 7.30 Report (Stateline).

Save Our Ports Coordinating Committee Convenor Robert Carr says: "Dempster brings an air of respectability with him as a national media commentator and will be a great mediator for the forum."

"The issue is a statewide one, its about how the NSW coastline generates income, certainty and longevity for NSW taxpayers." 

"With Dempster hosting the forum, and as it is being aired on 7.30 Report, the implications of privatising Port Kembla along with Port Botany will I think become more apparent to other communities across NSW." 

Carr says: "Many in the local community remain unclear about the details of the privatisation. We're waiting to see the new Ports legislation and how it will accommodate the community clauses under existing Ports legislation in NSW."

"The community is also waiting for the publication of scoping studies, and how the approximated 90 year shortfall in public revenue will be made up if the 99 year lease goes ahead, and the current price maintained." 

Chairperson of the Port of Port Kembla Working Group Councillor Vicki Curran said the forum will allow discussion and debate around this important issue and provide Barry O’Farrell and his Cabinet the first opportunity to put the privatisation of the Port to the people of the Illawarra and listen to our concerns.

Curran said: “The forum is a way of informing, debating and listening to the community and addressing concerns without further delay." 

"Disappointingly Council, community groups and individuals still await a response to formal letters and questions sent to the NSW Government regarding the privatisation of the port of Port Kembla. So this forum will be the perfect opportunity for the Premier of NSW and his Cabinet to address the Illawarra community, listen to our concerns, and provide answers and information,” Cr Vicki Curran said.