Gippsland › Latest news › Russel Northe MLA

Government must provide answers on the future of Hazelwood Pondage

Member for Morwell Russell Northe today joined with Sailability Coordinator, Bruce James to call upon the Andrews Government to come clean on the future of Hazelwood Pondage.

By Portal Admin - 14th April 2017 - Back to News

Mr Northe said Hazelwood Pondage was not only used widely by the Latrobe Valley Yacht Club and Sailability but was also a popular tourism destination for people across the state.

"The Latrobe Valley Yacht Club has existed for more than 50 years, whilst Sailability is a vitally important program that assists people of all-abilities to participate in sailing activities," Mr Northe said.

"But with the closure of Hazelwood Power Station, the future of the Pondage remains unclear does the future of the Latrobe Valley Yacht Club and the Sailability program.

"For many years the pondage has been the place for a number of water activities, including sailing, water skiing, canoeing and swimming - right through the year," Mr Northe said.

"The Yacht club and local community deserve answers about the future of the Pondage and its availability to the community for recreational use."

Mr Northe said the Andrews Labor Government appear more concerned about the welfare of the barramundi in the Pondage rather than local people who will be severely impacted if the Pondage is closed.

"There is speculation that the Pondage will become an environmental wetland or even be returned to farm land into the future; however that is of no assistance to the Latrobe Valley Yacht Club who deserve to know now what the future holds for them," Mr Northe said.

"Not only is Daniel Andrews likely to keep many Victorians in the dark into the future, he is also doing the same to the Latrobe Valley Yacht Club and the Sailability program."

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