Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about the regulation which I proposed last week in this parliament about dangerous air pollution coming from cruise ships at White Bay. The regulation will now be implemented as a result of the announcement by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport today through the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. I welcome Minister Chester's announcement. All cruise ships berthed in Sydney Harbour will be directed to adhere to a strict 0.1 per cent limit on sulphur content in the fuel they use to reduce pollution.

Since becoming the federal member representing Balmain at the July election I have met repeatedly with departmental officers and Minister Chester to insist on a solution to this longstanding problem. Balmain residents have been fighting for more than five years for proper protections against cruise ship emissions. Last Sunday I addressed a meeting at Clontarf Cottage of Balmain residents who have been affected by emissions from Cruise Ships in White Bay for many years. I gave a commitment to those residents that if the government had not issued a directive to fix this problem by the end of this parliamentary sitting week I would introduce a private member's bill that I had drafted to force through this overdue environmental protection.

I thank the minister for working with me in a bipartisan fashion to achieve this outcome for the community. This order will achieve the precise protection the New South Wales government had previously sought to enact for berthed ships. (Time expired)