Vow to Return Coast Waters
ADC commends Campbell Newman and the Liberal National Party for promising to legislate for a Gold Coast Waterways Authority if elected. Sun, Surf, Sand and Water is the Gold Coast’s brand. It is this brand and the lifestyle behind it which this decision will help protect. ADC urges the Australian Labour Party to match this commitment.
EXCLUSIVE
KEN VERNON
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IN a policy coup, LNP leader Campbell Newman has vowed to give the Broadwater back to the Gold Coast.
Speaking to the Gold Coast Media Club at Conrad Jupiters yesterday he let slip that, if elected premier, he would legislate for a Gold Coast Waterways Authority to be reconstituted to give the city control over the water it is built around.
“We intend to give the Broadwater back to the Gold Coast people, to those who fish and enjoy a day out on the boat,” Mr Newman said.
He said the problem with the Broadwater was that the Bligh Government won’t dredge the Broadwater is that it relies on Green preferences and the Greens won’t allow them to dredge – it’s that simple and it’s outrageous.
“The Broadwater is an engineered environment which plays an important part in the economy of the city as a rec- reational and tourist area.
“It needs to be dredged and returned to its former state for recreation and for the Gold Coast marine industry which is dependent on the waterway.”
The local marine industry has lobbied for the return of the Broadwater to local control for many years and the Bull- etin has also campaigned for the return of the city’s most valuable asset.
Gold Coast City Marina director Dean Leigh-Smith said the possibility of having control of the waterway returned to the city was “tremendous – a real scoop for the marine community and the wider community”.
“Who is best to look after the local waterways than the locals?” he asked.
Marine Action Group spokesman Keith Douglas wel- comed the news the city could again run the waterway, saying that it was “long overdue”.
“There is a lot that can be done with the Broadwater provided it is planned properly and is environmentally sensi- tive. The channels desperately need dredging, but that will depend on what funding is made available,” Mr Douglas said.
Mr Campbell said he under- stood funding was an import- ant issue, but that he would address that soon, as well as the mechanics of how the waterway would be controlled.
“Every promise we make has to be carefully and properly costed, so I will be making fur’ ther announcements on that aspect later,” he said.
Source: Gold Coast Bulletin
Saturday, 27-08-11
NEWS page. 5
