Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Air Pollution) Bill 2019—and I'm glad I don't have to say that 10 times fast! This bill is an important bill. The reduction of sulphur content in fuels is an important reform, and is not only one that industry has had to deal with but also one that has a significant impact on residents, especially in my electorate of Macnamara. If you go down to the iconic beachfront in Port Melbourne and you land in Station Pier, you might not only enjoy one of the great restaurants that we have on offer on Station Pier but you'll also see the iconic Spirit of Tasmania, the TT-Line fleet that connects the two finest parts of the country—and I see the shadow minister nodding away there at the front table. Station Pier is actually Melbourne's third-largest terminal. After Tullamarine and Avalon, it is the place where the greatest number of people land inside Melbourne and it is a real gateway for our city. But it is also a place where ships come, and, over time, they have emitted a significant amount of sulphur content into the air, and residents have come to see me about that.

I especially want to note in this chamber the work of the Beacon Cove Neighbourhood Association and their members, who have advocated for a reduction in sulphur content. One of the things, interestingly, with Station Pier is that there's been a differentiation between the amount of sulphur at Station Pier versus the amount of sulphur content that's allowed in Sydney Harbour. While we have been lagging behind on 3.5 per cent for quite some time, in Sydney they've enjoyed the low rate of 0.1 per cent in Sydney Harbour. Not to get too competitive with Sydney, but this is a significant difference in the amount of sulphur in the air, and residents certainly have noticed the difference. This change to bring us in line with the international obligations under MARPOL is a good step, and one that will be welcomed by the residents in my electorate. I commend the government for drafting this legislation and bringing it before the House.

I will finish with this one point. While 0.5 is a significant step forward and a significant improvement on a 3.5 per cent sulphur content, given there is still a difference between the level that is allowed in Sydney Harbour and the level that's allowed at Station Pier in and around the port, we continue to work with the government and with industry to move eventually towards aligning the sulphur content. I would like to acknowledge TT-Line, who over 2021 are bringing in two new Spirit ships—

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