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Collapse Issue 486:<br />20 Jan 2020<br />_____________Issue 486:
20 Jan 2020
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Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Umina power blackout on 43 degree day
Council approves plans for IOOF housing site
Australia Day celebrations to be held at Woy Woy
'Business as usual' despite factory fire
'We're not guilty,' says aged care provider
Busy day for Marine Rescue
Ettalong to get a spruce-up
Fire at Woy Woy tip took 90 minutes to locate
Call for more council funding for free open-air film nights
New proposal submitted for six-storey development
Hardware store proposal criticised by neighbours
Woy Woy CWA donates to Disaster Relief
Free emergency accommodation offered
Ministers' association holds prayers for bushfire victims
CWA branch delivers donations to South Coast
Community raises $14,000 for Pearl Beach fire brigade
Sewing bee to help injured wildlife
Arboretum receives second $20,000 grant
Group plans to plant 100 trees
New community garden in Umina
Talk about tree hollows as habitat
First Bays' breakfast of the year
Rotary club chooses exchange student
Free putt putt golf for children
Titanic theme for Pearl Beach dinner
Cinema under the stars
Taking part in breakfast program
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Councillors need to say no to destruction of our lifestyle
Turn down temperature in the Peninsula oven
Council has forgotten it is there to ensure equal rights
Council should pause and question population targets
Why do we bother with council and its elected officials?
Permanent budget needed to keep waterways open
Act on dredging and bad driving, but not roundabout
Find time to toast success
Watering grass and concrete
Constructive political action is needed
Climate action rejected for 40 years
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Men's activities result in improvement to well-being
Prosthetic limbs donated to 29 children
Cricket club raises $519 for cancer support
Film about gut health to be shown in Ettalong
Hospital staff provide drought aid and firefighter support
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Aboriginal history group shows four films
Choir holds registration day
Young singer wins music competition
English singer at folk club
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Teachers' photos in social media campaign
Fun fair to show centre's program
Aged care course to be held again
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Jemma Smith wins silver in debut appearance
Netball player conducts training session at Woy Woy
Graded Pairs held at Umina
Bowling clubs name Club Persons

Permanent budget needed to keep waterways open

The proposal to divert dredging funds from the Brisbane Water entrance to the Tuggerah Lakes entrance ("Proposal to divert dredging funds", edition 485) is typical of the half-baked approach of the Council to fundamental questions about the region's future.

Instead of Council's thinking a problem through, we have the standard knee-jerk response to a publicised issue that passes for decision-making amongst our representatives.

The fact is that there is a natural geological process going on that will, eventually, lead to the disappearance of both these water bodies, and the accumulation of alluvial deposit in the entrances is just the most obvious manifestation of this process.

If the Council is determined to act contrary to the natural course of events, it must take on a determined commitment to the funding of dredging activities as long into the future as anybody wants to make use of this estuary.

This means a permanent budget provision and an ongoing program of dredging, to remove sandbars and keep channels open.

Anything less than this is just grandstanding over the issue.

The first requirement is to have a serious debate about whether we want to keep these waterways open.

So far, everybody involved seems to take it for granted that this is the case, but nobody has actually asked the question of the community.

If the community is brought into the picture and made aware of the ramifications of deciding either way, then there can be a proper mandate for whatever strategy is formulated and whatever financial provision is adopted.

As it is, all discussion is just beating the air, without clarifying the matter for ratepayers who are the ones entitled to the final say.

There have been multiple technical reports related to the condition of the estuary, but where is the overview that should provide the guidance for any future direction.




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