Fremantle Mayor responds to Westport findings

Mayor Brad Pettitt has reiterated the Fremantle Council’s position that Fremantle’s inner harbour should be retained as a working container port following the release of the Westport taskforce’s final report.

Premier Mark McGowan released the Westport final report this afternoon.

It recommends a land-backed port be built within the Kwinana Industrial Area, connected by an uninterrupted freight corridor via Anketell Road and Tonkin Highway.

The transition of freight from Fremantle Port to Kwinana will occur either in one step by 2032 or over a phased period that will see both ports share the freight task for around a further 15 years.

Mayor Brad Pettitt said the council’s position on the future of Fremantle port was clear.

“For more than 120 years the inner harbour has been central to Fremantle’s identity as a port city, and the employment and activity associated with the operations of the inner harbour are a critical component of the Fremantle region’s economy,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“While we recognise the need for an expanded role for the outer harbour at Kwinana, the council has been very firm in its view that the inner harbour should be retained as a working port.

“We will need to take some time to sit down and properly review today’s announcement and consider where to from here, but obviously any move to end container handling at North Quay will have massive implications for Fremantle.

“I’m looking forward to hearing from the state government what they have in mind to compensate Fremantle for the loss of such an important asset and how they plan to support the Fremantle economy during the transition to the outer harbour.”

In August 2018 Fremantle Council reaffirmed a position that container handling should be maintained at North Quay, provided the associated land side transport arrangements had no greater impact on the local community than current port operations.

The council also called for Victoria Quay to be progressively developed for community, tourism and commercial uses, with a focus on improved facilities for cruise ship passengers, and that car imports and other freight shipments coming through Victoria Quay should be transferred to another location as soon as possible.