Thursday, 20 March 2025

Ministers statements: maritime infrastructure

Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Minister for Health Infrastructure) (14:38): The word of the day is deja cruise, and it is deja cruise because I have stood here before and I have talked about our massive investment in piers and jetties and I am back to say so much more.

Let us take a cruise around Port Phillip Bay. We have recently delivered one of the biggest pier redevelopments at St Kilda Pier, and the member for Albert Park knows all too well that Victorians have voted with their feet, literally flocking to the new pier.

Roma Britnell: On a point of order on relevance, Speaker, there are not any cruises coming in after 2027 – because of your taxes.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. I caution the member for South-West Coast about how to raise a point of order.

Melissa HORNE: Also, the member for Sandringham will be pleased to know that just a short cruise down the coast we will be delivering a brand new pier for the Hampton community later this year.

Ports and piers contribute more than $900 million to our local economies through tourism, marine activities and of course cruise shipping. A great example is in my own electorate of Williamstown. Just last week we had Liam Neeson cruising down Altona Pier. Local traders had a huge win having a Hollywood production crew in Altona, and now we have got a Victorian pier making its big-screen debut. Cruising to the western side of the bay, the member for Bellarine has been working tirelessly for her community with the St Leonards Pier rebuild. Cruising out around the Heads and around to Western Port, the member for Bass and her community cannot wait for construction to kick off on north and south jetties at Warneet.

But are we stopping there? No, we are not battening down the hatches. I am working with the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events on a brand new Victorian cruise shipping strategy for the future of our incredible heritage-listed Station Pier, and I am really happy to extend the stakeholder consultation to the member for Berwick.