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| Mike Elliott Leader Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
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Legislative
Council |
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| Mike Elliott Leader Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
Parliament Index |
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The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Transport and Urban Planning, in her own right and also representing the Minister for Environment and Heritage, a question about sand movement costs for the Adelaide beaches.
Leave granted.
The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: I have on previous occasions in this place tried to get some answers in relation to precisely how much the government is spending on sand movement, particularly as a consequence of the construction of the breakwaters at Glenelg and West Beach. Previous answers I received told me how much was budgeted but not how much was actually spent. What I will be seeking from the minister is a clear understanding of how much money is being spent by her department and other departments in relation to sand movement, and also removal of seaweed as a consequence of the construction of both the Glenelg and West Beach structures.
The ERD Committee, with representatives of the Charles Sturt Council, had an opportunity to visit the beaches of Henley Beach and West Beach some seven or eight weeks ago, if my memory serves me correctly. At one particular beach we visited, probably about a kilometre north of the West Beach development, we were told by representatives of the council that they had spent several decades building dunes. They had put up fences which caught moving sand. They had volunteers revegetating. They had spent several decades building up these sand dunes and they lost them all in a single night. Clearly, there would have been storm episodes of a similar nature previously. It was not a particularly violent storm, but they lost the lot. Even at the dunes directly opposite the West Beach Caravan Park half of that dune system- which is a very large dune system-was removed in that same night.
Subsequent to that there was a massive exercise in replacing sand at that West Beach site, but the dunes that were lost further north appear to have been lost forever. Clearly, there was a significant cost incurred in relation to the sand movement to try to replenish those dunes. So I ask the minister whether she can bring to this place details of the total costs involved in sand movement, sand dredging and seaweed removal in relation to the Glenelg and West Beach structures, and if the minister can do that relatively soon, because I have been asking questions on this matter for about 12 months and they have not so far been satisfactorily answered.
The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: I will seek the answers and bring back a reply.
