{"id":5203,"date":"2020-02-22T00:30:08","date_gmt":"2020-02-22T00:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=5203"},"modified":"2020-02-22T00:30:08","modified_gmt":"2020-02-22T00:30:08","slug":"labor-calls-for-offshore-marine-dredging-to-solve-crisis-at-stockton-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2020\/02\/22\/labor-calls-for-offshore-marine-dredging-to-solve-crisis-at-stockton-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"LABOR CALLS FOR OFFSHORE MARINE DREDGING TO SOLVE CRISIS AT STOCKTON BEACH"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay has slammed the Berejiklian Government for its failure to act on the worsening erosion crisis at Stockton Beach \u2013 saying immediate steps are needed before the seaside community washes away.
\nThe call comes as it can be revealed that three separate grant applications from Newcastle City Council for emergency sand nourishment by truck remain ignored by the Minister.
\nOn a visit to Stockton today, joined by Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, Ms McKay questioned why the Government has failed to take any steps to overturn the ban on offshore marine dredging that could help solve the crisis.
\nLabor has been pressing the Government for this action since last October.
\nUnder the\u00a0Offshore Minerals Act 1999<\/em>, the Berejiklian Government holds the power to release and invite applications for an area to be mined for sand to replenish beaches.
\nIn response to a Question on Notice from Mr Crakanthorp in 2018, the Government said there were \u201cno current plans\u201d to release any areas for mining licenses. In October 2019, Deputy Premier John Barilaro stated \u201cthis regime has not been implemented since the Act was created and legislative changes may be required to support or improve the regime before it is used\u201d.
\nThe City of Newcastle also wrote to Mr Barilaro on December 9 requesting the ban be lifted.
\nOffshore dredging has been used successfully to combat erosion on the Gold Coast in Queensland and in other nations such as The Netherlands.
\n\u201cThe Berejiklian Government has twiddled its thumbs over summer while Stockton Beach slowly disappears,\u201d Ms McKay said.
\n\u201cLabor supports any necessary redrafting of existing laws to allow offshore marine dredging for the purposes of beach nourishment \u2013 subject to all other environmental and regulatory approvals being met.
\n\u201cThis is a sensible solution the community is calling for. The ball is in the Berejiklian Government\u2019s court \u2013 shame on them for just doing nothing.\u201d
\nToday\u2019s visit by Ms McKay comes in the wake of more severe weather and large swells. Parts of the local caravan park were last week relocated in an emergency operation after savage storms stripped tonnes of sand from the already heavily eroded foreshore.
\nThe Government finally declared Newcastle a natural disaster \u2013 but only after calls from Ms McKay and the City of Newcastle.
\n\u201cPeople here feel they are on borrowed time. They are living in fear of the next major weather event. The Berejiklian Government promised to address this and they haven\u2019t \u2013 and the Premier hasn\u2019t even bothered to visit,\u201d Ms McKay said.
\n\u201cThe Government’s neglect of one of Newcastle’s beloved beaches is unacceptable and it would not be allowed to happen at Bondi or Manly.\u201d
\nIn September, Ms McKay visited the community with Mr Crakanthorp and demanded the Government:<\/p>\n