❓ The Minister for Ports responds to a question regarding the Cook Labor government's investment in port infrastructure and its impact on export levels and the national economy, highlighting record throughput volumes and the importance of Pilbara ports.
AnsweredQoN 524Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PORT INFRASTRUCTURE
524. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Ports:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to expand and build on
the capacity of Western Australian ports.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's investment in port
infrastructure is allowing record levels of export pretty clearly in the
Pilbara?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's strong management of Western
Australian ports is powering the nation's economy?
524. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Ports:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to expand and build on
the capacity of Western Australian ports.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's investment in port
infrastructure is allowing record levels of export pretty clearly in the
Pilbara?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's strong management of Western
Australian ports is powering the nation's economy?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2) It
is great to advise the house on the continued success of Pilbara ports. I am
sure members will be aware of the incredible importance of the ports under the
Pilbara Ports Authority in Port Hedland, Dampier and Ashburton, especially, and
the activity that happens at these ports and how critical it is for both our
state's and our country's economy. During the pandemic,
Australia depended on Western Australian ports and its customers to maintain export activity and the flow of royalties and
revenue to our economy. This was no small feat, given the global impacts
of the pandemic on shipping and supply chain management. Since 2020, the
Pilbara Ports Authority has seen record volumes of export commodities through
its ports. The majority has been iron ore but there are also a significant
exports of other commodities, including other minerals and liquefied natural
gas, which generate vital income for the country, the state and the Pilbara region.
During the 2020–21 financial
year, total Pilbara ports throughput volumes exceeded 720 million tonnes for
the first time. In 2021–22, this grew to 733 million tonnes. Today I report
that last financial year there was a further three per cent increase to a record
752 million tonnes exported through Pilbara ports. The value of the goods handled by Pilbara ports is now estimated at $164 billion,
which is an incredible number . Pilbara ports handles nearly all
Australia's iron ore exports. In fact—this statistic is
unbelievable—they account for almost 44 per cent of the world's
total seaborne iron ore trade, most of that coming out of Port Hedland. To give
an indication of the scale of this task, that is over 200 million tonnes of
product a day. The ports continue to provide a reliable, flexible and
consistent service to their customers despite the complexity, tidal
restrictions and frequent weather interruptions, especially in the wet season.
There is an average of 48 vessel movements a day, carrying up to 200 000 tonnes
each. The port of Port Hedland is the busiest of Pilbara ports, and responsible
last year for 566 million tonnes of exports alone.
I was recently able to visit the
Town of Port Hedland with the member and Premier Cook. We took the opportunity
to observe the passage of ships through the channel from the Pilbara Ports
Authority control tower, which was an
unbelievable sight. The whole operation is carefully managed with what I thought
was a pretty modest team, with the
cooperation of port users, coordinated by the port authority's
harbourmaster so that the absolute maximum volume of shipping can be
supported. The shipping movements are so tightly
managed that the gap between the hull of the ship and the channel bottom can be
as little as the length of a mobile
phone, which is absolutely unbelievable. Unlike other states, Western Australia
has maintained public ownership of the port authorities, something that
we know the Liberal Party tried to chip away at the end of its last term.
Thankfully, that was not able to happen.
The successful operation of the
Pilbara Ports Authority is continuing to break throughput records in close
partnership with the private sector, its customers and terminal operators. I thank
and congratulate the Pilbara Ports Authority, its customers and especially all
those workers who had a part in breaking another record and for their
contribution to Western Australia's and Australia's economies.
(1)–(2) It
is great to advise the house on the continued success of Pilbara ports. I am
sure members will be aware of the incredible importance of the ports under the
Pilbara Ports Authority in Port Hedland, Dampier and Ashburton, especially, and
the activity that happens at these ports and how critical it is for both our
state's and our country's economy. During the pandemic,
Australia depended on Western Australian ports and its customers to maintain export activity and the flow of royalties and
revenue to our economy. This was no small feat, given the global impacts
of the pandemic on shipping and supply chain management. Since 2020, the
Pilbara Ports Authority has seen record volumes of export commodities through
its ports. The majority has been iron ore but there are also a significant
exports of other commodities, including other minerals and liquefied natural
gas, which generate vital income for the country, the state and the Pilbara region.
During the 2020–21 financial
year, total Pilbara ports throughput volumes exceeded 720 million tonnes for
the first time. In 2021–22, this grew to 733 million tonnes. Today I report
that last financial year there was a further three per cent increase to a record
752 million tonnes exported through Pilbara ports. The value of the goods handled by Pilbara ports is now estimated at $164 billion,
which is an incredible number . Pilbara ports handles nearly all
Australia's iron ore exports. In fact—this statistic is
unbelievable—they account for almost 44 per cent of the world's
total seaborne iron ore trade, most of that coming out of Port Hedland. To give
an indication of the scale of this task, that is over 200 million tonnes of
product a day. The ports continue to provide a reliable, flexible and
consistent service to their customers despite the complexity, tidal
restrictions and frequent weather interruptions, especially in the wet season.
There is an average of 48 vessel movements a day, carrying up to 200 000 tonnes
each. The port of Port Hedland is the busiest of Pilbara ports, and responsible
last year for 566 million tonnes of exports alone.
I was recently able to visit the
Town of Port Hedland with the member and Premier Cook. We took the opportunity
to observe the passage of ships through the channel from the Pilbara Ports
Authority control tower, which was an
unbelievable sight. The whole operation is carefully managed with what I thought
was a pretty modest team, with the
cooperation of port users, coordinated by the port authority's
harbourmaster so that the absolute maximum volume of shipping can be
supported. The shipping movements are so tightly
managed that the gap between the hull of the ship and the channel bottom can be
as little as the length of a mobile
phone, which is absolutely unbelievable. Unlike other states, Western Australia
has maintained public ownership of the port authorities, something that
we know the Liberal Party tried to chip away at the end of its last term.
Thankfully, that was not able to happen.
The successful operation of the
Pilbara Ports Authority is continuing to break throughput records in close
partnership with the private sector, its customers and terminal operators. I thank
and congratulate the Pilbara Ports Authority, its customers and especially all
those workers who had a part in breaking another record and for their
contribution to Western Australia's and Australia's economies.
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