Swansea Channel dredge

The final stage of the Swansea Channel dredging program has commenced.

Transcript

00:00So pleased to be here this morning to announce that the next phase of dredging is starting today

00:08in Lake Macquarie right here in the Swansea Channel. So another 10,000 cubic metres of sand

00:14will be moved out of the channel to ensure that it is navigable for all vessels to enter and leave

00:21the lake. Already the continuous dredging programs that we've had in place since we

00:27came into government in 2023 has delivered the confidence that boaties need to ensure

00:34that they can come in and out of the lake without the fear of shoaling and getting caught in those

00:40shoaled areas in the channel as we know has been a nemesis of the past. So I'm absolutely thrilled

00:49that we're going to be removing this next 10,000 cubic metres of sand just to make sure that people

00:55have that confidence which I know they need. In addition to that we will be in addition to that

01:02Maritime will be delivering in the not too distant future a 10-year dredging plan. Now that plan will

01:09mean it's right across New South Wales not just here in the Swansea Channel that means that we will

01:15have markers and we will be maintaining waterways instead of responding to situations where vessels

01:24can't get through. We are going to be taking a proactive approach instead of a reactive approach.

01:32This has been called for by myself and others now for a decade and it's a Labor government

01:38that's going to deliver it and I'm very proud to be part of that.