We’ve been waiting for it, you’ve been waiting for it, and NOW here it is!
NSW’s Government has released the Freight Reform Advisory Panel’s (Panel’s) final paper ‘Delivering freight policy reform in New South Wales’.
The Panel was appointed by the former Minister for Transport in January 2024 and work on the NSW Freight Policy Reform (Reform) occurred over twelve months, from January 2024 to January 2025. The Panel comprises Kerry Schott AO, Lucio Di Bartolomeo, and Dr Hermione Parsons.
The Final Report outlines a roadmap for change, identifying short (start within 12 months), medium (start within 2 years) and long-term (start within 5 years) actions to be delivered.
According to the Executive Summary, the panel has identified three future challenges for the freight system in NSW:
• population growth
• decarbonisation
• changing technologies.
A couple of key points of interest in the report related to connectivity and competition.
Port Botany / Western Sydney connectivity
“One of the future gaps in the freight network is the rail connection from Port Botany to western Sydney, the destination of most import containers. Priority must be given to progress the planning, investment and delivery of both the Western Sydney Freight Line and development of the related IMT at Mamre Road Industrial Precinct,” the report notes.
Kembla and Newcastle
The panel were also apparently in favour of developments at Kembla and Newcastle.
“The Port of Newcastle and Port Kembla are major ports and their diversification should be encouraged and supported to foster more competition between the ports. These two ports are integral to the state’s economy and the communities they serve. Their future continues to evolve and becomes even more necessary as coal volumes decline in future decades. The port operators should continue to identify opportunities arising from renewable energy transition, growing industries and changing import demand to secure the future of these ports and regional communities,” the report reads.
Further details will be provided on the Shipping Australia website in due course.
