IN anticipation of a returned LNP government after today's election, a community bid for the Port of Townsville and the Mount Isa-Townsville rail line has been launched by Northern Australia Community Ports Corporation Limited (Commport).
The consortium responsible for the bid would also like an exclusive mandate if it can demonstrate enough community support.
In Townsville last Thursday it announced that the chance to take part in a future share offer had so far attracted the support of four north Queensland mayors, from Burdekin, Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook and Richmond, in what they describe as a truly community-owned port business.
"The trigger for us was that we were tired of seeing our assets go offshore," bid spokesman Mark Dunworth told Queensland Country Life.
"This is about putting assets back into the hands of local people."
Mr Dunworth, who operates a property management company, is one of a four-person consortium from north Queensland, which also includes Harvey Parker, with more than 40 years in corporate leadership in Australian and New Zealand companies, lawyer Ian Conrad, and AMP's north Queensland partnership manager David Randall.
Since launching the initiative in November last year, more than 3000 people have added their support for the bid on the Commport website.
"Interest in getting involved has come from a diverse cross-section of the community, from ordinary mums and dads through to local businesses and port users," Mr Dunworth said.
"Port users are very keen to have input because of the way it's currently run. It's very much an under-performing port."
While acknowledging a high likelihood of competition for the assets, Mr Dunworth said that if capital could be raised at a fair price from local interest, an exclusive mandate should be given consideration.
A spokeswoman for the Treasurer's office said that if given a mandate for its Strong Choices leasing plan, the government would ensure such businesses were leased at the best value for Queensland.
Support for the bid will need to come from the corporate world as well, and Commport will only say that it has had discussions with superannuation companies, such as AMP.
"The Queensland Country Credit Union and Bendigo Bank are interested as well," Mr Dunworth said.
He expected more councils would come on board if the LNP were re-elected.
Richmond mayor and LNP candidate for Mount Isa John Wharton is already a strong supporter.
He told a meeting at Burketown last week he had "had a gutful" of the rail line deteriorating year by year.
"The LNP started putting money in and you haven't seen a crash for a while now," he said.
"The other thing is Glencore's monopoly. If a big mining company can buy the line, there might be more of that."
Current Mount Isa MP Rob Katter came out strongly against potential rail line leasing in October, saying the fate of the Inlander service may be determined by its new operator's charge sheet.
"The government talks about having to subsidise the Inlander. What do they think is going to happen when they lease the line off as well?
"This is an essential service to people in the north west and one we definitely would choose not to lose."
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
