Hopes are high that the next NSW Premier will support the establishment of a container terminal in Newcastle, a project seen as central to the region's economic diversification.
Despite strong community support for the project, outgoing Premier Gladys Berejiklian steadfastly defended an initially secret 2013 deal requiring the State Government to compensate the operators of Port Botany and Port Kembla if container traffic at the Port of Newcastle exceeded a minimal specified cap.
A second deed signed when the Port of Newcastle was privatised in 2014, requires the port to reimburse the government for any compensation paid to operators of Port Botany and Port Kembla.
Ms Berejiklian, a former transport minister, was instrumental in creating the Port Commitment Deeds.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission lost a Federal Court action earlier this year against NSW Ports over the legality of the port privatisation deals. It is appealing the decision.
It is estimated the proposed Newcastle container terminal would attract $1.8 billion of private investment and generate more than 15,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute $2.5 billion to the national economy.
Hunter Business Chamber chief executive Bob Hawes said, regardless who the incoming premier was, it was vital that the government remained focused on the need for regional economic recovery and diversification.
"For the Hunter this means support for our key economic growth and transformation and job generating projects like the Newcastle airport, faster rail links, John Hunter precinct, a container terminal and the development of a hydrogen hub," he said.
"It's important that our region simply continues to work with the government constructively and that will be the focus for Business Hunter at this critical time in the Covid recovery."
"As the Prime Minister I know what's needed here and that's a Port of Newcastle that works for the Hunter because when that happens the Hunter is able to do more for Australia."
