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Cape Conran boat ramp safety must be addressed: Ingram

By Craig Ingram - 10th May 2005 - Back to News

Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has rejected an assessment by Marine Safety Victoria (MSV) that upgrading the Cape Conran boat ramp was not a safety issue and has invited MSV to East Gippsland to inspect the safety of the current facility and the boating needs of the area.

Mr Ingram said the importance of the Cape Conran ramp for recreational anglers, divers, marine sanctuary management and the local tourism industry had been highlighted as a result of community lobbying through the Cape Conran Coastal Park Management Plan submission process and letters to the Minister for Environment, John Thwaites.

"In a reply to my recent correspondence, the Environment Minister recognised that the boat ramp is a significant facility for the region," Mr Ingram said.

"The ramp is subject to large quantities of sand and kelp building up, making it unusable for considerable periods of time. Its safety has been the subject of much debate for decades.

"Through work with Parks Victoria and the State Government, I am pleased that the attitude to improving the access at Cape Conran has changed to the extent that Parks Victoria has applied to the MSV for funding for the feasibility and planning of improved access and the provision of a second ramp.

"It is extremely disappointing that MSV rejected the application because they did not believe that improving the facility would meet the safety improvement criteria requirements for the funding.

"In a recent letter to Parks Victoria, MSV says that ‘it is considered that the proposal offers little value for money in making direct safety improvements for recreational boaters’.

"MSV needs to visit the site to discuss safety concerns with local boat operators and inspect the site personally and I will write and extend an invitation for them to do this," Mr Ingram concluded.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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