Chamber calls for more dredging money

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has called on the NSW Government to provide more money for dredging the Ettalong Channel than is available under the Rescuing Our Waterways program.

Emergency dredging work is expected to commence within weeks, weather permitting, following hydrological surveys completed by Crown Lands NSW in the Ettalong Channel.

"That has given Palm Beach Ferries some comfort that they will be able to resume their normal services in late June or early July," said Chamber president Mr Matthew Wales.

"The Chamber is still looking for a longer-term solution and we will keep working with NSW Minister for Lands Mr Paul Toole's office," Mr Wales said.

Mr Wales said he acknowledged that the ongoing maintenance of the navigation channel at the entrance to Brisbane Water was "not something that can be done through Rescuing Our Waterways".

Rescuing Our Waterways is the $6 million pot of money offered by the NSW Government to be shared by 14 coastal Councils for dredging and assorted other maintenance programs.

Councils are expected to match any Rescuing Our Waterways funds provided by the NSW Government dollar-for-dollar.

Until May 14, Central Coast Council had steadfastly argued that dredging the navigation channel at Ettalong was a state government responsibility and should be 100 per cent funded by the NSW Government.

Sustained political and community pressure resulted in a majority of Councillors agreeing to lodge a complying Rescuing Our Waterways funding application by the June 8 deadline in return for a commitment from the Department of Lands to another round of emergency funding.

The hydrological survey has been a precursor to that new round of emergency funding.

It is the first time the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has acknowledged the maintenance of the Channel will cost much more than the funds made available under Rescuing Our Waterways.

"There may be some legislative things that can be done to put more certainty in place but the NSW Government has said it is prepared to co-fund ongoing maintenance of the channel," Mr Wales said.

"They really are committed to finding a long-term solution because the government doesn't want to have this annual debate and nobody wants to see a repeat of the petty politics we have seen in Council recently," he said.

"We believe the budget should be around $5 to $6 million to do the major program and then around $250,000 annually to maintain the channel.

"What is really compounding the issue is the shocking state of the Ocean Beach foreshore which is a state of affairs we have to acknowledge needs urgent intervention," Mr Wales said.

SOURCE:

Interview, 31 May 2018

Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Reporter: Jackie Pearson