Inquiry into the proposed lease of the Port of Melbourne

On 5 August 2015 the Legislative Council agreed to the following motion:

A Select Committee of eight members be appointed to inquire into and report on the proposed lease of the Port of Melbourne as contemplated by the Delivering Victorian Infrastructure (Port of Melbourne Lease Transaction) Bill 2015 and, in particular —

1. the structure and duration of the proposed lease;
2. the potential impacts of the proposed lease on the development of a second container port in Victoria;
3. the potential impacts on the environment of the further expansion of the Port of Melbourne;
4. the potential impacts of the proposed arrangements on the competitiveness of the Port of Melbourne, the supply chains that depend on it and cost effects on goods passing through the Port of Melbourne;
5. the effectiveness of the proposed regulatory framework in dealing with the transfer of a monopoly asset from the public sector to the private sector;
6. how the proposed lease balances the short-term objective of maximising the proceeds of the lease with the longer-term objective of maximising the economic benefits to Victoria of container trade; and
7. any other relevant matters.

The reporting date for this inquiry is 30 November 2015.