WA rejects super port authority plan for Pilbara

The proposal to merge the separate Pilbara port authorities into one entity had been raised when the opposition's strategic infrastructure spokeswoman Alannah MacTiernan was WA infrastructure minister and she did so again this week.

However, transport minister Simon O’Brien has said: “A single port authority is not being considered at this time.”

He also rejected Ms MacTiernan's call for Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton representatives to leave the various Pilbara region port authority boards, labelling her claims of conflict of interest as unjustified.

“The former Labor government which Ms MacTiernan was a part of had eight years to examine this issue; they obviously did not believe it warranted reviewing,” he said.

"I am of the same opinion.

“I believe the current arrangements work well and the state government is happy for Rio Tinto and BHP representatives to continue to lend their expertise and experience to the port authority boards.”

Pilbara region port authority boards comprise representatives from BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Fortescue and Woodside.

Ms MacTiernan had said that it was no longer appropriate for the companies, which were major users of the public port facilities, to sit on port authority boards.

"Their presence on these boards, which is enshrined in various state agreements, creates understandable anxiety for their competitors seeking access to port capacity and presents constant conflict of interest issues," Ms MacTiernan said.

She called for Cape Lambert to be brought under the control of Dampier Port Authority "instead of being regulated under the relatively unsophisticated Shipping and Pilotage Act and supervised by a harbour master based in Fremantle".

Ms MacTiernan said the possibility of creating a single Pilbara Port Authority should be considered.