18th Mar 2015, 4:09 PM – Senate Motions — Cruise Ship Terminals

That the Senate (a) notes that:

(i) a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into the Environment Protection Authority found that the decision to build a $57 million cruise ship terminal at White Bay in Balmain, instead of at Barangaroo, was a ‘serious error’, and acknowledged the significant impact of fumes and the corresponding issues with noise and vibrations have had on the quality of life of the surrounding community,

(ii) the relocation of the cruise ship terminal to White Bay was opposed by the cruise ship industry, local councils and community groups alike,

(iii) since the White Bay facility opened in 2013 it has received many complaints from local residents concerned about the health impacts of the air and noise pollution associated with cruise ships,

(iv) the cruise ship industry is growing significantly and contributes to the Australian tourism industry and local jobs, and

(v) as a growing industry, the cruise ship industry must minimise its growing environmental impacts and remove the significant health risks that its high sulphur fuels currently pose; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to work with state governments on a national plan that enables the cruise ship industry to:

(i) implement mandatory requirements that all new cruise ship terminals have ship-to-shore power,

(ii) implement the New South Wales parliamentary recommendations to install shore to shore power for ships when they are moored at White Bay, and for cruise ship operators to develop noise mitigation strategies, and

(iii) ensure that the maximum allowable sulphur content for all cruise ship fuels is reduced to 0.1 per cent in line with United States of America and European Union regulations.