What is the status of foreshore committee?

The credibility of both Council and the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce was strongly called into question by the majority of speakers representing business and the community at the Peninsula Business Levy public meeting last week.

One speaker described the Council's actions as "corrupt", saying they required investigation by ICAC, and justified Council being sacked.

She got rousing applause from the packed theatre.

Other business owners stated forcefully that the Chamber of Commerce did not represent their views, and instead represented the financial agendas of particular members and their associates.

In your last edition, Council's recreation services manager Mr Peter Hickman was reported as saying that a planning committee of "stakeholders" was meeting to discuss issues about the implementation of the Ettalong Beach Foreshore Plan of Management.

Cr Peter Hale was reported as saying this committee included council staff, "interested councillors", representatives from the Ettalong Beach Heritage committee, the Ettalong Memorial Club and the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

Given the context of the levy meeting, and that levy money would be spent on the foreshore, these statements raise several questions.

First, what is the status of this committee, and by what process was it established, eg is it appointed by Council or made up of self-nominated members?

Second, who are the individuals on this committee, what is their expertise and whose interests do they represent? It is important that members of the community know who are the "interested councillors", who is representing the Ettalong Beach Heritage committee, the Ettalong Club and the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce so that they can make their views known to committee members and can question the committee members' views.

Third, where are the community and environmental representatives on this so-called stakeholders' committee?

There are several environmental groups that have a stake in this area.

These include the dunecare volunteer group that works on the Peninsula dunes to remove weeds and maintain existing vegetation that stops the dunes being washed away.

There is also the Peninsula environment group that represents several local bushcare groups.

There are additional regional environmental groups that have a stake in what happens here, including Central Coast's Australian Conservation Foundation and Central Coast Environment Network.

Fourth, what independent expertise on dune protection is being used by this committee?

This expertise would increase the possibility that these plans will not put at risk the dune barrier that protects our lives and homes from the high seas and rising tides of inevitable climate changes.

It would help ensure that the large amount of public money (as much as $2 million) to be spent on the foreshore is not wasted, by the works being undermined by further loss of beach and foreshore erosion.

If a private individual damages dune vegetation, they are subject to a fine of $1.1 million.

However Council and narrow business interests are proposing to "improve views and access" directly in front of the newly-built Ettalong Beach Club.

This will destroy a significant area of dune vegetation and dune.

It appears that Councillors past and present, individual Council staff and vested business interests have decided to sacrifice this dune to gain financial benefit for those vested interests, and/or in the hope of improving economic viability for Ettalong Beach CBD.

Finally, I'd like to nominate myself and several other community and environmental representatives to this "stakeholders' planning committee".

Given my long and varied involvement in community activities, including Peninsula environmental groups, my being a dunecare volunteer, and my background in community development work, I think I'm in a key position to represent these community and environmental interests.

Shirley Hotchkiss, Umina