Coastal protection priorities aligned

Last week, the State Government announced it would contribute $750,295 to local authorities for projects aimed at protecting the Western Australian coastline, with Wanneroo receiving the largest allocation.

City of Wanneroo Mayor Tracey Roberts said the funding would complement the work the City was already doing in this area but much more government funding was required given
how much money the City has already spent.

“Coastal management is a significant issue for the City of Wanneroo and we have several plans and projects in place to make sure our coastline is well maintained,” she said.

"Since 2000, the City has spent $5.6million from its own resources on the management of coastal erosion issues at Quinns Beach, including $3.4million over the last three years.”

“The City is prioritising this issue and we have made huge investments to address erosion. We hope the State Government will match our commitment to combat the problem.”

The $300,000 from the State Government will contribute to early works associated with the implementation of the preferred long term coastal management option for the Quinns Rocks coastline.

This project will continue over a number of years, requiring significant financial outlay.

The City is currently assessing two potential long term coastal management options and in the coming months will be making a detailed submission to the State Government.

The City has also committed $500,000 of the 2016/17 capital works budget to coastal protection works to combat erosion at Quinns Beach.

“It is very clear that the State Government needs to allocate significantly more funds to work with local governments on addressing this important environmental issue, which potentially impacts on many members of the community,” Mayor Roberts said.