Jetty hopes afloat

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Jetty hopes afloat

SUPPORTERS of the Port Welshpool Long Jetty believe it should be restored, even if that is dependent on elusive federal funding.

They have refused to abandon the project and advocate for funding allocated to it to be used for other purposes.

McMillan MP Russell Broadbent said the jetty was still a priority for him.

“Securing funds remains a top priority of mine and I remain hopeful of a positive outcome,” he said.

“I have been in contact with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss.”

Mr Broadbent declined to comment on whether the or not the project should be abandoned.

A South Gippsland Shire Council spokesperson said the Long Jetty restoration was still a key project, but dependent on a Federal Government contribution.

“In November 2014, council applied for $3.8 million through the National Stronger Regions Fund to complete the restoration,” they said.

“Council will be notified on whether it is successful or not in May.”

Port Welshpool’s Peter Rose said the community should not give up on the Long Jetty just yet.

“We need to keep needling at them as we have been. There is a bit of a concerted effort happening down here at the moment,” he said.

“It is time for the Federal Government to fess up and stop stringing the community along. If they are going to let us die, just let it happen quickly.”

Mr Rose said the reality is there was no money left after the change of government.

“But if we don’t keep pushing for it, it won’t happen,” he said.

“They need to have a look at the tourism side of it, how much the area has lost since the jetty closed.”

Mr Rose said if it came to the point where nothing was going to happen with the jetty, he would support the already promised funds going into another Port Welshpool project, such as the proposed marina.

“It could be difficult to do as the money is gazetted for the Long Jetty,” he said.

“We can live only in hope and hopefully we have luck in May.”

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Posted by on Apr 28 2015. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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