FORUM:
For the debacle that is the Wamberal Seawall, one option needs to be completely discounted – a buyback scheme.
Reading the recent article on the seawall brought two things to mind, one being the silliness of a proposed buy-back scheme which is making rounds and supported by the petition sponsor Abigail Boyd and, two, the total abandonment of the NSW Government on the matter.
I, for one, do not think the taxpayer should pick up the tab for any solution at Wamberal.
Why should we, the taxpayer, pay the landowners (whose houses would be worth squillions) to purchase their homes and demolish them?
Nor can we force them out of their homes, which would not only be socialist in act, but morally wrong.
Any solution to the Wamberal question should discount buybacks, and it is silly for politicians to be peddling this rubbish.
Hopefully the review announced by the Government provides answers on this and discounts it completely, but I seriously doubt it, which sends me to my second point.
I note the complete disregard the new Government has towards Wamberal.
I remember very clearly the Labor candidate Sam Boughton waving placards on Terrigal Dr saying he would stop the wall.
David Harris recently said that the new review into the Wamberal Wall will not prevent DAs being lodged that will allow the building of the wall.
Well I ask why were they saying they would stop the wall in the first place?
They now say it is Council’s responsibility.
They have fled for the hills and, like typical politicians, promise the world during an election but once rubber hits the road they make for the first turn off the freeway.
This probably explains why the Greens are sponsoring the petition – the only ones prepared to take a stand (however I just cannot get onboard with their stance of a buyback).
The Save our Sand (SOS) group raises valid concerns on Wamberal and whatever happens at Wamberal, all options need to be on the table for consideration (except of course the silly proposal of a buyback) and the community’s concerns must be heard.
I for one would like to see more investigation into dune regeneration and potentially a breakwater.
Email, Aug 14
Sebastian Cheng, Forresters Beach