A Hunter Valley businessman is demanding compensation from climate activist group Rising Tide after a second cruise ship cancelled its visit to Newcastle due to safety concerns linked to a planned anti-coal protest. Trevor Richards, who owns multiple businesses in Morpeth including an antique store and a gallery, says the cancellations will cause significant financial losses for local tourism operators.
Viking Cruises cancelled the Viking Orion's scheduled arrival on December 1, citing the 'possibility that the planned activities at the Port of Newcastle could impact scheduled shore excursion programs and guests' experience.' This follows a similar cancellation by another Viking ship earlier. The decision was made despite Rising Tide's assurances that its five-day People's Blockade, running in late November, would only target coal ships on November 29 and 30.
Newcastle Tourism Industry Group's cruise coordinator, Stewart Ford, estimates the cancellations represent a collective loss of about $750,000 for the region. 'It's a loss of tourism events — I know of two tour operators who have lost complete bookings for those dates,' he said. Richards noted that overseas tourists from cruise ships generate substantial income for small businesses in the Lower Hunter.
Richards has written to Rising Tide seeking compensation for what he calls 'demonstrable financial losses' directly resulting from the cancelled cruise visits. Rising Tide spokesperson Zack Schofield responded that the group has no intention to impact tourism and has made 'constant, public assurances that we will never block non-coal shipping, particularly not cruise liners.' Schofield said he visited Viking Cruises' Sydney office to offer reassurance.
However, Port of Newcastle corporate affairs executive manager Lucas Coleman expressed skepticism, citing a previous incident on October 30 where activists spray-painted 'tax me' on a coal ship. 'Despite the assurances they are giving this year, they have given assurances in previous years that they have not followed through with,' Coleman said. He added that the Viking Orion sought safe passage assurances from the Port Authority of NSW, which could not be provided.
Schofield suggested that legal action should be directed at the Port Authority, which he believes should have advocated harder for Viking Cruises not to cancel. 'As the Port Authority of NSW is the agency which has turned around these ships with no reference to Rising Tide's aims or timetable, we can only suggest they would be a more appropriate target for legal action,' he said.
