Political candidate leads under-water clean-up

A local political candidate is coordinating an under-water Clean Up Australia Day event in Woy Woy.

The Liberal candidate for Gosford, Ms Sue Dengate, is organising a clean-up of the waters around the Woy Woy Wharf and is looking for local divers and clean up support volunteers to join her in beautifying the waters on March 3.

A professional scuba diver instructor and a lifelong lover of the sea, Ms Dengate said the waters around the wharf were long overdue for a clean-up.

"I've been at Umina for the past 27 years and I know it's been a good 20 years at least since a Clean Up Australia Day event went under the water around Woy Woy Wharf," Ms Dengate said.

Having travelled the world as a diver, Ms Dengate has seen firsthand the devastating effect dumping has on marine ecosystems.

"Reducing litter is something that's been on the forefront of Australia's conscience for a while now and the NSW Government in particular has been spending a lot of money to educate people about the effects of pollution and on the importance of reducing their waste, but people generally don't realise how big an impact marine dumping can have," Ms Dengate said.

"Partly this is because its's so hard to see what's really down there but that's exactly why it's important to get down there this Clean Up Australia Day," she said.

Aside from general litter, Ms Dengate said divers were also likely to upturn larger debris.

"I'm expecting that we'll find all the usual big bits of debris that divers normally come across such as shopping trolleys, old benches and other structures, but there will also be other items that often get dumped such as old bikes and fishing rods.

Anyone interested in being involved on the day can contact Ms Dengate through her Facebook page.

SOURCE:

Interview, 24 Jan 2019

Sue Dengate, Liberal Candidate for Gosford

Reporter, Dilon Luke