No funding in Budget for channel dredging

No funding has been provided in the State Budget to dredge the channel between Brisbane Water and Broken Bay at Ettalong, according to Member for Gosford Ms Kathy Smith.

"Sediment in the channel continues to pose a danger to both leisure and commercial craft," said Ms Smith.

"This is a much-used area for leisure boating and we don't need a disaster to happen," Ms Smith said.

"The Minister has advised that there are no plans for dredging in the near future and this budget has definitely confirmed that," she said.

Ms Smith said she had been advised that NSW Roads and Maritime boating safety officers would continue to monitor the channel for any further changes or impacts to navigation.

"This is just another kick in the guts for local residents," Ms Smith said.

"First it was the closure of the local RMS office, then the debacle with the Rawson Rd Level Crossing Replacement Project and now the lack of dredging in the gateway to the Peninsula," she said.

Central Coast Council chief Mr Rob Noble said senior staff within the council had raised the idea of moving the council-owned dredge located at The Entrance south to dredge the Brisbane Water channel.

"It has been thought of by our senior staff but I don't have an outcome yet," Mr Noble said.

Shadow Minister for the Central Coast, Mr David Harris, said the new Central Coast Council may own a dredge but they would still need to find money to cover the cost of the work needed to clear the Brisbane Water channel.

"Council may be able to move the dredge but they still have to pay for it and they only have money in their budget for dredging Tuggerah Lakes," Mr Harris said.

"The State Government should be funding it," he said.

"The fundamental part about this is that local government is given amounts of money to run local parks and crown land on behalf of the State Government and that comes with a responsibility for the State Government to pay for major projects when they are needed.

"When Chris Holstein was the Member for Gosford he made a commitment to dredge Correa Bay but the Ettalong channel has to be a higher priority than Correa Bay," he said.

Media release, 22 Jun 2016

Kathy Smith, Member for Gosford

Interview, 23 Jun 2016

David Harris, Shadow Minister for the Central Coast

Reporter: Jackie Pearson