FOLLOW UP – GEORGES BAY TRUST PROPOSAL

Liberal Candidate for Lyons and proponent for the establishment of the Georges Bay Trust Mr Jim Playsted said today he had no reply from Infrastructure Minister Graeme Sturges concerning establishment of the Trust as a long term solution to the problems of maintaining safe and reliable port access to St Helens.

Mr Playsted said the incident involving the fishing vessel ‘Anmaropa’ on Tuesday night was another stark reminder of the need for change from occasional spending, to regular maintenance of safe access to St Helens in order to underpin a return of confidence in the port.

A public meeting convened by Jim Playsted on August 13th which was attended by fishing industry, charter operators, tourism, police, coast guard and council representatives endorsed the Georges Bay Trust proposal and asked Minister Sturges to inquire into the merits of this new approach to solving the problem of safe and reliable port access to the port. A letter was sent to the Minister on August 17th but nothing has been heard since.

While commercial and pleasure craft have increased in size and number over recent years, port traffic at St Helens has halved in the same period due to uncertainty over the bar way and Pelican Point areas of access to the bay. Since the public meeting on August 13th the largest commercial vessel operating from St Helens has moved away for this season as has the latest addition to the ports game fishing fleet, now relocated to Port Stephens in NSW. “The ‘St Helens’ brand is badly damaged by these developments”, Mr Playsted said

“Safe access to the port is vital for local business investment and job security, concern about reliable and safe port access is a major disincentive for mariners and industry alike. This has put the local economy at serious risk,” Jim Playsted said.

“The concept of a ‘Georges Bay Trust’ which is jointly managed by stakeholders with an annual income from a variety of sources including Local, State and federal Government could be a superior model to provide for ongoing and regular dredging maintenance which will provide the safe and reliable access which will encourage commercial operators back to the port.
“Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Jeremy Rockliff and Liberal Member for Lyons Rene Hidding are supportive of further discussion of its possibilities.”
Ministers_Letter_0809.doc
Georges_Bay_Trust_meeting_motions.doc
Jim Playsted, State Liberal candidate for Lyons