Cruise ships welcome, say residents

Opponents of the White Bay cruise ship terminal are “annoying” and “misguided greenies”, according to some residents who have spoken out in support of the development.

In a letter obtained by the Inner West Independent, White Bay resident David Christmas told Premier Barry O’Farrell the terminal is “the best initiative for the area, and the NSW Government should be applauded for having the foresight to carry this through”.

“We find it so dreadfully annoying receiving weekly drops of misinformed
literature (junk mail) by the so-called ‘Friends of White Bay’, Mr Christmas wrote. He also complained of “the constant petitioning of misguided greenies outside Woolworths Balmain with obviously little else to do with their time.”

Another Inner West Independent reader commented: “I do not understand why the Council are so intent on trying to derail this development.”

She said the number of people attending town hall meetings to protest the development was insignificant, and that all her neighbours support Sydney Ports’ plan.

“Maybe the Council should listen to its residents and consider this development might be what they want,” she said.

The cruise terminal has elicited a strong negative response from some members of the community, who have organised a campaign to have the project stopped. The Friends of White Bay group is led by President Michael Lehmann, and has support from local Greens MP Jamie Parker, Leichhardt Mayor Rochelle Porteous and independent councillor John Stamolis.

Mr Christmas and his wife reside at Dockside Apartments, one of the closest buildings to the proposed terminal site. He said it was a pleasure to see cruise liners using the port, and that community fears of excessive noise and traffic were not evidenced by his experience.

Mr Christmas added it was “thrilling” to witness a circus performance on the main deck of the Pacific Jewel, which docked at White Bay in December 2009.

“We are hoping these cruise ships will be a regular occurrence for us over the coming months,” he wrote.

The terminal is expected to be ready by 2013 and anticipates the arrival of 120 ships. Sydney is struggling to accommodate an increasing demand for large passenger liners to berth here.

The White Bay terminal would accommodate ships able to pass underneath the Harbour Bridge and larger vessels would dock at Circular Quay, or potentially Garden Island.

That port is currently home to the Navy but Defence Minister, Stephen Smith is considering the use of the terminal as a shared-use facility.