Pledge to dredge strategy

A RE-ELECTED NSW Coalition government will commit $33.7 million to deliver the state’s first Dredging Strategy which would include the Tweed River.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said regular dredging will provide long-term benefits to the state’s waterways, particularly after flooding events seen over the past 12 months.

“For too long, dredging in NSW has been funded, managed and delivered in a case-by-case way — reacting to major weather events when they come, river by river,” Mr Toole said.

“That’s why we’re rewriting the rulebook to make sure the 24 coastal communities with major waterways can plan with confidence, knowing that their rivers, harbours and estuaries will be dredged regularly and comprehensively until 2053 — ensuring access for everyone who uses them.”

Member for Tweed Geoff Provest welcomed the commitment as a major investment in the Tweed Shire.

“Everyone here knows that dredging needs to happen regularly to keep the Tweed River open, but we can’t keep starting from scratch every time the river fills up and the safety of users is put at risk,” Mr Provest said.

“That’s why this commitment is a game-changer for the Tweed — giving us a clear plan for the next 30 years so we can keep local business and tourism thriving.”

A Strategic Business Case for the LongTerm Navigational Dredging Program has been developed by Transport for NSW which examined the various options for delivery of a state-wide program, concluding that an out-sourced, long-term contract with private dredging operators in NSW would achieve best value-for-money.

The Long-Term Navigational Dredging Program is a Transport for NSW-led initiative involving the Centre for Maritime Safety and the Maritime Infrastructure Delivery Office.