POM SUBMISSION 67

Our ref: Your ref:

11 September 2015

The Secretary Port of Select Committee Parliament House Spring Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000

The Secretary

Inquiry into Proposed Lease of Port of Melbourne

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed lease of Port of Melbourne.

South Shire is located South East of Melbourne and covers an area of approximately 3,300 square kilometres. It has a resident population of about 28,000 people. It is a major agricultural area and one of the key food production areas of Australia with a particular strength in the dairy industry. It is also a popular tourist destination, best known for National Park.

The shire has three major dairy processing facilities and an abattoir which all have a focus on exports. South Gippsland’s high rainfall and proximity to Melbourne make it likely that this strength will continue and that further expansion opportunities will occur, including new areas such as horticulture.

Freight movement and port access is critical to the future prosperity of South Gippsland and therefore, Council’s interest in the lease of the Port of Melbourne is ensuring the longer term economic viability of our municipality, particularly if accessibility to port facilities becomes an issue as Melbourne expands.

South Gippsland Shire Council, as a member of the Gippsland Local Government Network has been supportive of the proposed expansion and development of the Port of Hastings, recognising the positive economic impact it would provide to the region.

These benefits were quantified in a study commissioned by the Southern Melbourne and Gippsland RDA Committees in 2013 which found that found that the economic impact (direct plus flow-on) would be likely to range from $1 billion in GRP and 5700 jobs in mid-2030s, rising to $3 billion in GRP and 15,200 jobs in early 2050s.

9 Smith Street (Private Bag 4) 3953 – DX 94026 Leongatha Telephone: (03) 5662 9200 Facsimile: (03) 5662 3754 Email: [email protected] Website: www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au