Push for Port Kembla to become NSW's newest cruise terminal

In addition to imports, exports and the steelworks, Port Kembla could see another resource flow into the Illawarra – tourism.

On Monday (25 November), Wollongong City Council voted to promote the port as the most suitable location for a new cruise terminal in NSW.

The Mayoral Minute put by Lord Mayor Tania Brown recommended the council provide a submission to the Cruising Industry Advisory to highlight the suitability of Port Kembla for such a terminal, and request the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation make a submission to the advisory outlining the potential economic benefits to the region.

The Lord Mayor told the council domestic cruise passengers spent an average of $507 daily, and international passengers spent $660.

“The day visit of Radiance of the Seas in 2016 alone generated around $1 million for the city’s visitor economy,” Councillor Brown said.

“A turnaround port brings a far greater financial return with passenger overnight stays (pre- and post-cruise) and the provision of supplies and services.”

Cr Brown said establishing a terminal would create jobs and cure Wollongong’s accommodation shortage woes by making the region more appealing to the hotel industry.

Cr Dierdre Stuart believed the environmental costs of the cruise industry outweighed any potential economic boost.

“I like the idea of more jobs, but cruise ships as they are currently are environmental disasters,” she said.

“The greenhouse gas emissions compared to flying are two to seven times as many. They’re incompatible with our climate goals for the city.”

Fellow Greens councillor Jess Whittaker agreed with Cr Stuart.

She said several potential projects identified for Port Kembla were incompatible with the cruise industry.

Cr Whittaker said she would prefer to see the council support a more environmentally friendly tourism industry.

“There are three levels of government with very different ideas for Port Kembla, from offshore wind to AUKUS to container, gas and cruise terminals,” she said.

“We are just one hour from Australia’s busiest international city, connected by one of the most scenic rail routes in the country.

“Are the new jobs worth the extra emissions or should we use our port to drive emissions projects and push for investment in rail?”

The Lord Mayor’s fellow Labor councillors David Brown, Ann Martin and Linda Campbell spoke in support of the motion.

They said the opportunity was “too good to miss”.

“Let’s give it our best shot,” Cr Brown said.

“It’s a nice economic and reputational boost for the city, and it’s good to see we are getting closer to a decision rather than the whispers and rumours of the past decade.”

The Mayoral Minute was carried, with Crs Whittaker, Stuart and Kit Docker voting against it.