A Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Government will provide $6 million to the City of Kingston to dredge, clean up and begin maintaining the Mordialloc Creek, Coalition Leader Ted Baillieu said today.
Mr Baillieu said the $6 million commitment will be in addition to the $800,000 commitment from the City of Kingston and $300,000 by Melbourne Water.
“After 11 years of Labor, murky silt and heavy metals have been allowed to accumulate in the creek that is now destroying this iconic waterway, polluting the bay, posing a risk to boat operators and corroding boat engines,” Mr Baillieu said.
“This rescue package funding from the Victorian Coalition will be the first step to restoring the Mordialloc Creek and making it one of the jewels of the bay again.
“Clearly the authorities under the control of the Brumby Government have failed for years to undertake the necessary work at Mordialloc Creek and as a result of multiple agencies being involved, responsibilities have been fragmented,” Mr Baillieu said.
Announcing the commitment at Mordialloc with Shadow Minister for the Environment Mary Wooldridge, Liberal candidates for Mordialloc, Lorraine Wreford, and for Carrum, Donna Bauer, Mr Baillieu said the Victorian Coalition would work alongside the City of Kingston and relevant stakeholders including the Mordialloc Creek Community group.
Ms Wreford said the $6 million commitment would please the many residents, users and small business operators who had sought to secure funding for the clean-up under the Brumby Government for the past decade.
“There has been a complete lack of commitment by the Labor Government, but the Victorian Coalition’s announcement ensures we will be able to maintain and clean up Mordialloc Creek,” Ms Wreford said.
Ms Bauer said the one and only time a local Labor MP raised the issue of Mordialloc Creek was in 2001 but nothing had been done or said in Parliament since then and the neglect had just continued.
“Many boat operators are concerned about the thick sludge and have advised other boat operators to avoid the creek altogether,” Ms Bauer said.
“The clean up of Mordialloc Creek is one of the most important local issues in the City of Kingston and only the Victorian Coalition will fix the problem.”
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Source: tedbaillieu, November 15, 2010;