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Collapse Issue 415 - 20 Mar 2017Issue 415 - 20 Mar 2017
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Liberals 'knew of rail costs' before election, Tesch claims
Gosford Council assets reduced by $1.4 billion
Gosford accounts referred for external audit
Jilly Pilon is Liberal candidate
Citizen of the Year stands for Christian party
Holstein will not run in by-election
Taskforce asks for infrastructure commitments
Chamber disappointed with Liberal selection
Labor challenges Liberals over 'abandoned' electorate
Patonga to hold Easter Saturday fete
Teenager airlifted after crash
Water main upgrade
Village development to go before Council administrator
Anzac ceremony at Empire Bay
Council brings library fees
Community forum about access to doctors
Community plants out new Runway playground
Volunteers' ladders go missing
Man charged following shooting
Twice the month's average rainfall already
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Community event was not for neutral voters
Let's leave the beach for the grand kids to play safely
Won't see ferry in my lifetime ... still
Produce the money and the boats
Has Brisbane Water plan been 'disapproved'?
I thought fast ferry nonsense had died years ago
Dredge should not be privately owned
Does dredging proposal means change in Coastal Plan?
Use CCTV and speed cameras on jetski cowboys
Old surf club members come to luncheon
Senior staff and councillors should be held accountable
Would Crouch promise everything and deliver nothing?
Will government commit to railway underpass?
Library decision doesn't inspire confidence
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Non-invasive brain treatment for depression
Free hearing checks in Woy Woy
Presentation on suicide prevention
Tesch meets nurses and health workers
Support for Melanoma March
Choir performs at shopping centre
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Patonga artist in epilepsy art auction
Duo sing at folk club
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Steve Collins leaves Woy Woy South
Splash-a-thon postponed due to the wet
Mental health first aid project launched
Tidying up their school
Harmony Day activities planned
Student leaders attend leaders' day
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Liberals endorse businesswoman mother of three
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Science experiments at Umina
Executive team holds planning day
Visit to Turo Park
Swimming team competes
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Surf club celebrates 85th anniversary
Training starts for Junior Swans
Excellent results in national judo tournament
Ocean Beach members win bronze
Junior judo players compete at Castle Hill
Triples carnival resumes at Umina
Bridge club holds autumn pairs

Produce the money and the boats

Lest anyone is tempted to laugh at yet another proposal for a fast ferry service from Ettalong to Sydney, I think it is worthwhile pointing out that all of the previous similar proposals had the same thing in common, and that is to secure the valuable waterfront crown land at Ettalong for commercial exploitation.

The proposed ferry service is merely a Trojan horse aimed at convincing the government to approve the leasing and development of the land in the area.

All of the previous proposals have foundered because there is not the slightest possibility that an Ettalong to Sydney ferry service could ever be commercially viable, feasible or productive.

In 1994 it was estimated that such a proposal would cost in the vicinity of $50 million and even if that optimistic figure was anywhere near correct, today, the cost of the same venture would run to at least three times that amount without factoring in the cost of the now proposed full-time dredge to be stationed at Ettalong to carry out constant dredging.

I believe the last proposal for a fast ferry dragged on in Gosford Council for years until finally the Council asked the proponent to demonstrate they had the money and the boats, and when the applicant could not produce either that was the end of the matter.

I suggest council and government adopt the same methodology when considering this latest plan and require the developer to put up or shut up and save us all a lot of time, angst and money.





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