Wild weather has exposed much of our coastline in recent days to further erosion but it also exposed a lack of a coordinated strategy for ‘hotspots’ such as Old Bar and Lake Cathie, says our MP.
“An extraordinary metre-and-a-half of erosion has occurred at Old Bar in the past few days, putting at risk public infrastructure, private property and future planning decisions,” Independent Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott said.
“This is a slow-moving natural disaster.”
At Old Bar, coastal erosion has claimed eight metres of land in just eight years.
“At that rate, important infrastructure, such as Old Bar Public School, the Meridian Resort at Old Bar and family homes are massively exposed to coastal erosion if we are talking over a metre of land lost every year, as at the current rate,” Mr Oakeshott said.
“The default position that will occur if the three levels of government cannot work together on this issue is further loss of public infrastructure and private property, more than likely without compensation, and 1001 individual court cases over planning disputes such as those involving Belongil Beach in Byron Bay two years ago.
“This is the default position that comes from no coordination and no agreed strategy between the three tiers of government,” Mr Oakeshott said.
“Surely governments have a role to play in doing something other than adding to lawyers’ fees, ignoring people’s life savings, and spending a bomb on public infrastructure replacement.”
Mr Oakeshott said he would continue to push for action from governments — local, state and federal.
