Kelly rejects change to jetty fees

Minister for Lands Mr Tony Kelly has told The Bays Community Group he will not change the formula used to calculate jetty rentals.

He told the group it was "premature to consider any change".

Following a public meeting in December last year, the group sent a submission to Mr Kelly and Member for Peats Ms Marie Andrews concerning the increase in jetty rentals.

It has taken the group up to three months to receive a reply from Mr Kelly.

President Mr Bob Puffett said Mr Kelly's response was a "total disappointment".

"It is frustrating to see this result," Mr Puffett said.

"It shows a lack of appreciation for what the people want."

The group reported it had been lobbying against the recommendation by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to alter the formula for three years.

Mr Kelly said the IPART formula was a "fair, uniform and a reasonable methodology for assessing" the rental fee of domestic waterfront tenancies.

"To revert an historic fee would be contrary to good Government and independent advice," Mr Kelly said.

According to Mr Puffett, the State Government had increased jetty rentals by "up to 150 per cent" since the introduction of the IPART formula in 2004.

"This increase (has) put the costs of having a jetty at an even greater one than our council rates," Mr Puffett said.

"The very nature of the Central Coast is enhanced by its waterways.

"The water brings a unique lifestyle and culture".

Mr Kelly said to assume price increases were a result of the new formula was "misleading and based on erroneous assumptions".

"If the old formula was applied to the current statuatory land values, that this would have resulted in much higher rents," Mr Kelly said.

According to Mr Kelly the IPART recommendation is a "general formula" used to set rental prices that "reflect the market value of the occupancy".

However, Mr Puffett said most residents were "elderly, self-funded retirees" and the area "full of young families".

"This issue had caused considerable grief and some residents felt they would have to leave or sell those homes because of the implication of future fee rises," Mr Puffett said.

Mr Puffett said the Governments response to the jetty fee increase would "affect the way people vote" in the upcoming State election.

According to Liberal candidate for Gosford Cr Chris Holstein the raising of the jetty rental fee was "a blatant grab for money by the Iemma-Costa Government".

Cr Holstein called for the new pricing formula to be "scrapped" and "replaced with a more reasonable pricing structure" after attending the public meeting with the group in December last year.

"Everybody is feeling the pain with this Government charge which is unrealistic and downright outrageous," said Mr Puffett.

Clare Graham, 23 Mar 2007