Congratulations for fast ferry extension

Independent candidate for Gosford Ms Debra Wales has congratulated Gosford Council for granting Fast Ships a 12-month extension on its lease arrangements in order to secure the $30 million for the project.

"This project is important to the Peninsula and the Central Coast so the extension was a good move by the council," Ms Wales said.

"It should be remembered that the fast ferry idea was proposed after the Central Coast was cut off from Sydney and Newcastle by the 1993 fires which engulfed the F3 freeway and the Sydney rail line isolating the Gosford and Peninsula region.

"Since then we have been strongly lobbying all levels of government for this vital ocean transport link.

"Unfortunately, whilst government were responsive and approvals were granted, it became much harder to seek funding for the project when Gosford Council granted approval to a second fast ferry proposal from Gosford to Sydney, the now defunct Supershuttle company.

"It made it extremely difficult to attract investor funds when council granted approval for two fast ferry services to run from the same area.

"That spooked lending institutions in the early stages of the project.

"Fast Ships Ltd has never asked for Government funding even though the State Government did offer conditional funding for the infrastructure.

"What Fast Ships did seek was letters of guarantee that would have given comfort to lending institutions.

"Unfortunately, neither the State nor Federal Government have done much even though the Commonwealth funds millions of dollars to overseas investment projects elsewhere in the country.

"Fast Ships have spent nearly $4 million of local investment money on coastal engineering reports, environmental impact studies, hydrological surveys and tourism studies yet the company has had to seek overseas investment to fund the project in order to bring a much-needed transport link to the eastern seaboard.

"It was only last month that the freeway and rail line to Sydney were once again closed due to bushfires with the only escape route being the existing Palm Beach Ferry service."

Ms Wales said that politicians talk about getting cars off the road and promote public transport yet "turn a blind eye to logical alternatives such as the fast ferry".

"It doesn't help when the company cops cheap derogatory comments from councillors like deputy mayor Cr Craig Doyle and the other silent politicians who think they are experts on fast ferries," Ms Wales said.

"Don't these people think that financial institutions read papers?

"When the fast ferry finally commences it will provide a faster, safer more comfortable transport link between the Central Coast and Sydney.

"The days of standing in cramped peak-hour trains or bumper-to-bumper traffic exuding exhaust fumes would be a thing of the past.

"The sooner politicians provide real assistance, the faster we will be on a fast ferry to Sydney or Newcastle."

Press release, 7 March 2007 Debra Wales, Independent candidate for Gosford