‘‘Mike Baird needs to explain in the first place why all the sale proceeds are not going into the Hunter Region, ’’ Shadow treasurer Michael Daley said this morning. 

‘‘He also needs to do some further explaining about why the port can be sold for a motza but he gives the Hunter only a pittance.’’

Cessnock MP Clayton Barr said he had sought an assurance from the government last year that at least 45 per cent of the proceeds would be returned to the Hunter.

‘‘This is a sham, 20per cent of the proceeds is just not good enough,’’ he said.

‘‘Everyone knew it was going to go for far more than the $700million that he [Mike Baird] touted. I called on all Hunter MPs of all political persuasions to join me in that call on the treasurer, now premier,’’ he said. Mr Daley said Labor remained philosophically and practically opposed to leasing the port. 

‘‘This is a rolled-gold, publicly-owned, income producing asset. For the next 98 years the proceeds from the port of Newcastle will go not to the people of the Hunter or NSW but to a Chinese consortium,’’ he said. He said Labor would be closely  scrutinising the terms of the lease to ensure ‘‘no dodgy deals had been done.’’

‘‘When Port Botany was sold land uses were mysteriously changed a few weeks later, building heights were rezoned and environmental controls were removed,’’ he said.

‘‘We are saying to Mike Baird, if you get up to any of that dodgy stuff with the Port of Newcastle we will be onto you.’’