Liberals would scrap jetty fees formula

A State Coalition Government would scrap the current jetty fees formula, The Shadow Minister for Waterways Ms Gladys Berejiklian has said, after attending a public meeting at the Everglades Country Club recently.

It would "implement a fairer formula to work out the fee".

Senior officers from the Department of Lands explained the formula used for setting jetty fees at the meeting.

Member for Peats Ms Marie Andrews and Liberal candidate for Gosford Cr Chris Holstein both attended the meeting, along with Mr Graham Harding and Mr Andrew McAnespie from the Department of Lands.

Attendees at the meeting requested Ms Andrews' assistance in making representations to the State Government and the NSW Valuer General regarding the formula used to calculate jetty fees.

Ms Andrews agreed to carry out the meeting's requests and to keep The Bays Community Group informed.

Cr Holstein said it was great to see so many people attend the meeting.

"With over 350 people attending the meeting, it shows just how much these unfair rent increases are impacting on Central Coast residents," Cr Holstein said.

"At the meeting, I spoke about how the raising of jetty rental prices is a blatant grab for money by the Iemma-Costa Government.

"I made calls for the new pricing formula to be scrapped and for it to be replaced with a more reasonable pricing structure that relates to the standard Consumer Pricing Index.

"I am appalled the New South Wales Government has the gall to try to charge long-term residents these outrageous charges, particularly as many people who own jetties in the area are pensioners, self-funded retirees or come from young families.

"They just don't have the money to pay these sorts of fees."

Lyle Stone, December 6