Stevedore seeks documents that refer to a huge hike in the rent asked of its West Swanson Dock operation
DP World Australia has opened a new front in its struggle to avoid a 767 per cent rent increase at its Melbourne stevedoring operation.
The company has filed two freedom-of-information applications with the Victorian Government, hoping to highlight the real factors behind the Port of Melbourne Corporation (POMC) increase.
“We have lodged an online application to the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance for access to documents relating to rent for West Swanson dock,” managing director Paul Scurrah says.
“We have also written to the Port of Melbourne Corporation for more information on the proposed rental increase determination.”
Scurrah says a significant part of the increase will naturally pass on to its shipping customers, landside transporters, and ultimately consumers.
“We are concerned about the downstream impacts the proposed rental increase will have on the Victorian and Tasmanian economies,” he says.
The applications request documents from between September 1 and December 23 last year (the rental increase was advised to DP World on December 24).
Treasury and the Port of Melbourne Corporation have 45 days to either provide the documents or explain why they refuse.
They are not related to pricing advice released by the POMC this week.
This draft tariff schedule related to port fees, rather than landside rents.
The draft pricing policy statement released in conjunction with it, will apply from July 1 this year.
The corporation has invited feedback on this side of its revenue plans, with submissions required by April 27.