Gold Coast Fishos. TONIGHT !!!

[Lucky_Phill]

PUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT - BROADWATER CRUISE SHIP DEVELOPMENT
Former Deputy Mayor and Vice President of the Save Our Broadwater campaign, Alan Rickard, will be the guest speaker at tonight’s Paradise Point Progress Association meeting and I would encourage you to attend the meeting and listen to what he has to say. Alan was one of the Councillors who sat on the committee that carried out the Gold Coast Harbour Study in 2003. The findings have largely been overlooked by the current Council.
Meeting Time: Tuesday 12 Aug 2014, 7:00 pm
Venue: Community Hall, Community Lane Paradise Point

Marine Action Group Inc strongly opposes what Council calls a Broadwater Marine Project which we believe should be more aptly referred to as the Broadwater Anti-Marine Project because it offers only negative outcomes for boating, fishing, diving and surfing - all the things that people come to the Gold Coast to experience. We hold the view that this exercise has been an avoidable waste of ratepayers funds and this Association will support and assist the Save Our Broadwater campaign. While this campaign has only just been launched it is quickly gaining community support which is a reflection of the depth of concern.
There are suggestions being made for owners of waterfront properties on the Gold Coast to come together to fund an injunction to stop the proposal if approval is given by the Newman Government. If a marine accident occurred in the Seaway and this was considered as providing a "reasonable degree of likelihood considering a similar incident in the Brisbane River during the 1974 flood" (refer Page 65 of the Broadwater Hydraulic Model Investigation), it would be disastrous for The Sovereign Islands. Most insurance companies will not provide flood coverage for this area.
Captain Paul Matthews, one of the most experienced marine pilots in Queensland, was involved in the Seaway cruise ship simulations that were carried out in Malaysia and he says candidly that in a 20 knot wind, trying to negotiate the Seaway is "scary".
Two years ago, I coordinated a think-tank of volunteer professionals - architects, engineers and planners who examined the methods of how best to establish a cruise ship facility. Research by Glen Crawford showed that 60% of cruise ships operating worldwide and 20% of those operating in Australia could not enter the Seaway due to either size or because they don't have thrusters so this raises serious questions in regard to potential viability of a Broadwater CST. All of the new generation ships are too large to enter the Seaway.
Offshore is the best solution and will cost less. More information on this initiative is available at http://regionalleaders.com
I applaud our local LNP MP Verity Barton for standing up and objecting to this proposal. 15,000 people occupying Wavebreak Island is a lot of concrete jungle to put in a natural marine landscape. There are clearly better solutions that can deliver opportunities for development and tourism infrastructure without compromising our fun on the water.
There is an article in the Bulletin yesterday that is headlined by "NEW council flood maps may vastly understate the impact and frequency of tidal surges, exposing property owners to unexpected risk and leaving the council open to legal action".
On King tides, water is already over the revetment walls on The Sovereign Islands and Gold Coast Council is encouraging development in the Broadwater that is potentially going to increase flood risk while at the same time acknowledging that sea levels will rise. On their files is existing engineering advice that they procured in 2003 that warns of this.
A cruise ship terminal in the Broadwater does not pass the common sense test and the reasons why are detailed below.
We do need a proper public consultation program and this should have been the first step.
Best regards

Keith Douglas
President - Marine Action Group Inc.
M: 0419 650 091

[wayno60]

I would love to be there but don't finish work till 10pm. will be eagerly awaiting a report on the outcome..

[sharkymark2]

Love to be anchored in the seaway when one of those ships come through.....not.

[sharkcat 23]

Could some who did attend the meeting post on what took place, what was discussed, I've still got another week in WA before I'm home so I could't attend.
Thankyou