Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch has today called out the State Government for their lack of action and response regarding the dredging of the Ettalong Channel.
“It has now been over a week since this issue arose and my office immediately made the Minister for Transport aware of the situation, and yet a week later, the community has not heard one word from the Minister or the State Labor Government about how they are going to address the issue of dredging.”
“While the Minister jetted off to Western Australia to view Australian made ferries, the people of the Bouddi Peninsula have been without their vital ferry service for over a week.”
The ferry operator, Fantasea Palm Beach Ferries, yesterday confirmed an indefinite suspension of services from Ettalong and Wagstaffe to Palm Beach due to lack of dredging action from this State Labor Government.”
“I have spoken with the ferry operator, and they share in the frustration with our ferry commuters that use their service and agree that it is imperative that the Minister arrange bus transport for commuters around Killcare, Wagstaffe, Hardys Bay and Ettalong to provide a link to the services departing from Patonga.”
“That’s why I’ll be calling on the Minister for Transport to arrange exactly that.”
Mr Crouch said that the lack of action by the State Labor Government on the issue of dredging is not good enough and emphasised that the funding is available and ready to go.
“Under the former Coalition Government, the Ettalong Channel was recognised as a vital transport link between the Central Coast and the Northern Beaches with thousands of people using the ferry each year”
“This is why the management of the Ettalong Channel was taken over by the State Government and back in 2021 $6.2 million in funding was provided for dredging needs.”