Well the NSW Minister for Roads Maritime and Freight & Nationals MP for Oxley Melinda Pavey ended the fourth quarter of 2017 in much the same manner as she progressed through the three preceding quarters - she meet with representatives of international cruise lines.
I still didn't see any listed meeting with Yaegl native title representatives or with Clarence Valley Council in her published ministerial diary.
She certainly hasn't met with the communities of Yamba and Iluka which will be most affected by the 24/7 noise and fumes emanating from those cruise ships she is so eager to see make Port of Yamba-Clarence River a regular destination.
This is what happened in Hobart when it opened its doors to such cruise ships........
HOBART residents are
continuing to suffer the effects of air pollution from visiting cruise ships,
says Acting Lord Mayor Ron Christie.
As the cruise season
continues, smoke particles emitted from cruise ship funnels have
left people living and working near the port increasingly alarmed, Ald Christie
said.
“This is a real public
health concern,’’ he said.
“I have been taking
calls recently, elderly residents… traders… they say they can smell it. One
gentleman, says he gets asthma.” Ald Christie said with 59 ships scheduled to
visit Hobart by the end of this season, and with greater numbers expected next
season, the smoke issue needed to be brought to a head.
The council in September
called on the Federal Government to force cruise ships to burn
cleaner fuel while in Hobart, which was already a requirement for Sydney
Harbour.
Some cruise ships can
burn a cheaper low-grade fuel called bunker fuel, which emits sulphur dioxide,
while in port.
A ban on fuel containing
high levels of sulphur is due to begin in 2020. The State Government’s
Environment Protection Authority has been monitoring air quality from an
installation at CSIRO since last June.
An EPA statement said an
interim report on the cruise ship season’s results would be
published by the end of July.
“Monitoring at Hobart
Port over this cruise ship season has seen ambient levels of
sulphur dioxide well within national and international air quality standards.”
the statement said.
A State Government
spokesman said imposing fuel regulations on cruise ships before
the 2020 ban could cause cruise ships to bypass Tasmania, …..
Alderman Christie said
his previous strong support for the promotion of cruise ship visits,
was now tempered by pollution concerns…..
1 comment:
People living in Balmain are not happy with the impact of cruise ships.
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