THE bipartisan support for a Newcastle container terminal from this region's political representatives is an important paver on the path to seeing the project reach fruition.
With state and federal Hunter MPs uniformly supportive of the plan, it is a fair assumption that the diversified port has strong support from this region. Rarely do projects proceed without at least nominal support from the leaders on the ground.
Given some of these Hunter MPs sit on the government benches, advocates for the container plans will be optimistic their representation can translate to a concrete decision in support of the major Hunter diversification project.
Unfortunately, the decisions will not be made here. Canberra and Macquarie Street have so far seemed much less receptive to the benefits of the plan despite at least six government and industry reports showing its positive ripples would extend to state and national economies.
So far, though, little has been clear cut about the Newcastle container terminal proposal's fortunes. The penalty imposed on the Hunter, revealed through this newspaper's investigations, was an early chapter. More recently, the Coalition government's election announcement spiked at the last moment shows that not all machinations are building momentum for it to progress.
The next could be Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flagging a review of the Port of Darwin's lease arrangement with Chinese interests. Whether such an inquiry would extend to the Port of Newcastle's ownership is so far as uncertain as whether a container terminal will ever eventuate here.
The question that must be answered, however, is simple: if not this, then what? Coal operators who opposed the Coalition announcement apparently back the status quo even as grappling with an energy transition begins. A contingency plan is essential, and a purpose-built cruise terminal has already been scrapped.
The extent of the Albanese government's fortitude on the container terminal remains to be seen. Given Macquarie Street's opposition to the container plan contributed to the Morrison government torpedoing its support at the eleventh hour, perhaps NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet can explain: if not this, then what?
Still, the case for containers progresses and builds momentum. Hopefully this city's patience will be rewarded before too long.
