Sydney terminal seeks bidders
Finance Minister Penny Wong and Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese announced that executive search firm Hudson Global Resources will identify suitable candidates for the board of the Government Business Enterprise (GBE), which will oversee selection of a private partner.
"Over the longer term, this facility has the potential to transform the movement of freight along the entire east coast," said Albanese.
"Already there has been strong private sector interest in building and operating this vital piece of new infrastructure, with some 40 major domestic and international freight and logistics companies attending market briefing sessions in recent months."
The Detailed Business Case released earlier this year calculated that the terminal would generate $10bn in economic benefits, take 1.2 million trucks a year off Sydney's roads and inject $135m into the economy of Western Sydney annually.
The site will include a port shuttle opening in 2017 and an interstate terminal built in 2029/30 or sooner, based on demand.
The cost of the Moorebank intermodal terminal is yet to be determined. The project is currently in concept stage, the cost of the facility will be determined when the design is finalised. The cost of relocating the existing Defence facility off the project site to a new purpose built facility nearby is A$490m, according to a source close to the project.
From January 2013, the GBE will oversee the remediation of the site as well as manage the tender process to select the preferred bidder. An Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be issued by early 2013.
