Minister for Ports David Hodgett today welcomed Shadow Minister for Ports Natalie Hutchins on her first official visit to the Port of Hastings in her capacity as Shadow Minister.
Ms Hutchins was appointed Shadow Minister for Ports 521 days ago, and it has taken her all this time to inspect the Port of Hastings and to receive a briefing on the work of the Port of Hastings Development Authority.
Mr Hodgett said that today’s visit would provide a great opportunity for Ms Hutchins to understand why Hastings is the best location for Victoria’s second international container port.
“ Labor candidate for Hastings Steve Hosking has stated he supports the expansion at the Port of Hastings and he understands the jobs that a new container port will create. Hopefully, after today’s visit, Ms Hutchins will see the value in the port development and the thousands of jobs it will bring to Melbourne’s south-east, and finally support its development ,” Mr Hodgett said.
“ On Tuesday night (22 July) at a Committee for Dandenong networking function, local businesses and residents from right along the south eastern corridor expressed their overwhelming support for developing Hastings as a container port, citing all the benefits it would bring to the region.
“Labor Member for Narre Warren North Luke Donnellan, Labor Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region Adam Somyurek and Labor Member for Lyndhurst Martin Pakula, all attended the Committee for Dandenong event and heard first-hand that the project has the strong support of local businesses and the communities in the south eastern region.
“Hopefully after this visit Ms Hutchins will understand why Hastings is the best location for the port expansion and can see the huge potential it has to bring jobs and growth to Hastings and the south eastern suburbs.
“I call on Ms Hutchins, Mr Donnellan, Mr Somyurek, Mr Pakula, Labor Member for Narre Warren South Judith Graley and Labor Member for Cranbourne Jude Perera to join the Victorian Coalition Government and the Labor Candidate for Hastings in supporting the Port of Hastings expansion and abandoning the pie-in-the-sky notion of Bay West just as they did when they were in government for 11 years,” Mr Hodgett said.
Related:
Environmental Studies Underway for Port of Hastings Development
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Press Release, July 24, 2014