Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch has said support for a permanent solution to the ongoing siltation of the navigation channel was coming from “across the community”.
She said a petition with 1000 signatures would be delivered to the NSW Parliament in support of a permanent solution to the dredging of the navigation channel that provides access to and from Brisbane Water from Broken Bay. Ms Tesch said she had already tabled over 600 signatures on a petition in 2017. Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president, Mr Matthew Wales said: “There is a fair bit of evidence the emergency dredging has been fairly ineffective. “We don’t want to see any more funds wasted on a stop-gap measure when Central Coast Council has a long-term plan that will solve the dredging issue,” he said. “The submission made to the government for funding incorporated that plan which includes dredging, renourishment of the beach and removal of sand from the system.
“More importantly there is an acknowledgement that ongoing funding must be put aside for ongoing maintenance dredging. “Hence, they included the cost of the purchase of a dredge in their proposal. “We think that is a good thing but we hope it doesn’t complicate the process for the funding,” he said. “We are still holding our breath on the funding application for the Ettalong dredging and we have been urging the government to deal with that application as quickly as it can.” Ms Tesch said: “I can’t wait to table another 1000 when parliament recommences for 2018. “I have collected the signatures by approaching people on the street and in local clubs,” she said. Residents from Hardys Bay and Killcare as well as from Ettalong, Booker Bay and Woy Woy had signed the petition. “I am looking forward to an NSW Government or Central Coast Council announcement that they have found a permanent solution to the safety of the channel,” she said.
SOURCE: Interview, 11 Jan 2018 Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford Interview, 11 Jan 2018 Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Reporter: Jackie Pearson