NSW Port Corporations

Responsibility for the safety and environmental functions of the Ports of Newcastle, Port Jackson/Port Botany and Port Kembla reside with the Newcastle, Sydney and Port Kembla Port Corporations, respectively. NSW Maritime has similar responsibility for the regional ports of Yamba (north coast) and Eden (south coast).

NSW Maritime is responsible for ensuring there are appropriate mechanisms in place to maintain high standards of marine safety and environmental protection in the trading ports and coastal waters of NSW. NSW Maritime regulates the three Port Corporations through monitoring compliance with their respective Port Safety Operating Licences (PSOL).

NSW Maritime also provides advice to the Minister on projects being undertaken by the Port Corporations and ensures that the marine legislation is appropriate to deal with port and shipping safety and environmental issues in NSW. For more information on ports and shipping legislation, click here.

NSW Maritime consults the Port Corporations on a wide range of safety matters associated with ports and shipping in NSW. Some examples of the matters considered are port pricing, dangerous goods requirements, standards for marine pilotage and guidelines for oil spill prosecutions.

Security arrangements for the Port Corporations, as well as for the regional ports of Eden and Yamba, are required by the Commonwealth Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act 2003. This includes the requirement for each port to have a Maritime Security Plan approved by the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. For more information on NSW port security arrangements, click here.

Review of Port Competition and Regulation in NSW

On 2 September 2008 the Minister for Ports and Waterways, Joe Tripodi, released the Competition and Infrastructure Reform Agreement (CIRA) Review. 

A copy of the CIRA review is available here

The review contains eight recommendations.  On 3 September 2008 the Minister released the NSW Government’s response to the CIRA review

A copy of the Government’s response is available here

Port Reforms Better Regulation Statement

The Government has introduced major port reforms into Parliament as part of its response to the Review of Port Competition and Regulation in NSW.  These reforms will broaden the objectives and functions of Port Corporations and provide for the making of regulations with respect to port facilities and services and the port-related supply chain.

In accordance with the Government’s strategy to reduce the regulatory burden on business, a Better Regulation Statement has been prepared to demonstrate that the proposed legislation is required, responsible and responsive.

A copy of the Better Regulation Statement is available here

A copy of the Ports and Maritime Administration Amendment (Port Competition and Co-ordination) Bill 2008 is available here.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was engaged by the NSW Government to conduct a Review of Port Competition and Regulation in NSW. The purpose of the Review was to consider the regulation of the Sydney Ports (Port Botany, Glebe Island, White Bay, and Darling Harbour), Port of Newcastle and Port Kembla (including the handling and storage facility operations at those ports) against the relevant principles set out in the Competition and Infrastructure Reform Agreement. 

The Competition and Infrastructure Reform Agreement was agreed by jurisdictions at the Council of Australian Governments’ Meeting on 10 February 2006. The objective of the Agreement is to assess the merit and scope for a simpler and consistent national approach to the economic regulation of significant infrastructure.

An Issues Paper was prepared by PwC outlining the scope of the Review and key issues relevant to the terms of reference is available from the link below.  

Review of Port Competition and Regulation in NSW Issues Paper

PwC invited written submissions from interested parties in relation to the issues raised in the Paper. Submissions closed on Friday 14 September 2007.

Submissions

To view submissions, click on the links below: