Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson has today attacked the State Labor Government for their flip flop over promised action to improve safety at the Mooloolah river mouth.
“ Only weeks ago, at a meeting I convened with Maritime Safety Queensland, the government said they were investigating more effective upgrades to the dredging programme at the Mooloolaba Harbour. ” Ms Simpson said.
“Now media reports suggest that a faceless, nameless Government spokesperson is saying that it won’t happen as it’s too costly. I challenge them to release the report of their investigations that have happened since they made that promise to my face.”
Ms Simpson called on the Government to release their reports of the alleged investigations for the upgrade options.
“A further build up of the sand bar at the harbour mouth over the last few weeks is proof that there is clearly a need for a more permanent solution or earlier intervention for the shoaling problem in this area.”
“This is not only dangerous to boaties, but it is costing the commercial and tourism fishing industry heavily as they are forced to reduce their operations due to the dangerously shallow conditions at the sand bar,” said Ms Simpson.
Ms Simpson said that the dredge should have been in place last week, as soon as it became evident that sand was building up at the bar again. The Department had promised to arrange for rapid deployment of a dredge to connect to the pipeline , but this hasn’t happened. Unfortunately this has been delayed a week and crucial dredging operations are not expected to commence until the weekend, at the earliest.
“ This just isn’t good enough !” Ms Simpson said.
“Lives and people’s livelihoods are at risk.”
“Urgent action on more timely and effective maintenance dredging solutions are needed now ,” Ms Simpson said.
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Dredging Today Staff, February 10, 2012;