Treasurer denies minersâ bid to police port fees Save Share Coal miners have called for Australian ports to be regulated after the federal government knocked back their attempts to have the competition watchdog oversee fees charged by the Port of Newcastle to stop excessive price increases. NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee said the Treasurerâs decision was disappointing and that monopoly providers of infrastructure should not be allowed to operate without regulatory oversight. âThese concerns are further heightened by the desire of the Port of Newcastle to significantly expand its container terminal operations, with associated pricing and access risks for existing and future port users,â Mr Galilee said.