
Erosion plea fast-tracked
THE NSW Government has responded quickly to pleas from Tweed Shire Council for millions of dollars urgently needed to stop disastrous erosion on Kingscliff Beach, according to Tweed mayor Warren Polglase.
Cr Polglase yesterday revealed phone talks had already been held with the office of NSW Planning, Infrastructure and Lands Minister Tony Kelly on urgent funding.
“There have been discussions already over the phone, which I believe are leading in a fruitful direction,” Cr Polglase said.
“I must say, to their credit, the minister's office did respond to us quite quickly. We were very pleased.”
Cr Polglase said council had last week formally lodged an application for disaster funding, which was being fast-tracked.
Last Tuesday councillors voted to send Cr Polglase and Mr Rayner to Sydney to plead with the state government for disaster funding to either pump sand onto Kingscliff Beach, build a rock wall or undertake a combination of both – a task which could cost “in the order of $5 to $10 million”.
Yesterday National Party MP for Tweed Geoff Provest revealed he had also thrown his weight behind the push for urgent funding, writing to Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan with a request that the erosion be officially declared a natural disaster.