Member for Geraldton Kirrilee Warr MLA has slammed the Minister for Transport for its ongoing inaction at Port Gregory, and called for the Government to act on the long-neglected Port Gregory Jetty, saying local frustration has reached a high tide after years of government inaction.
“The Port Gregory jetty, once a vital part of our community, is now land-locked after years of neglect,” Ms Warr said.
Raising the issue in a Grievance Motion on Thursday, with community representatives observing online, Ms Warr said: “Labor has simply put the Port Gregory jetty in the ‘too hard’ basket.”
During the motion, Ms Warr called on the Minister for Transport to commit immediate funding for the detailed planning and delivery of the full restoration, renovation, or replacement of the Port Gregory Jetty. She said the project must also include remediation works to address long term sand sedimentation issues, with a clear public timeline for works to commence within 12 months.
“Anything less would represent a failure of duty to the people of Port Gregory, the Midwest, and regional Western Australia,” Ms Warr said.
“This community has waited long enough- it’s time for the State Government to act and restore this essential piece of local infrastructure.”
“This issue has persisted for close to a decade. A similar grievance was raised by the then Member for Moore, now Member for Midwest, Shane Love, in October 2021, yet no action has been taken. In fact under this government, the situation has only worsened.
“The tourism and local recreation value of this jetty cannot be understated, and I urge the State Government to explore viable options.”
“It makes no sense that one of WA’s most popular tourist spots sits right next to a neglected piece of infrastructure,” Ms Warr said. “With a vision and investment, the Port Gregory jetty could be a major drawcard for our region- but instead, Labor’s neglect is holding us back.”
Alarmingly, the Tourism WA website suggests punters can “drop a line off the jetty” which is landlocked for most of the year.
In response, the Minister assisting the Transport Minister committed only to consulting with local stakeholders, referring to pre-determined outcomes of signage and decommissioning.
“The dismissive response reflects a government out of touch with regional WA and continues the trend of broken promises from this government when it comes to delivering for Geraldton,” Ms Warr said.
Ms Warr said there is no denying Labor’s track record in Geraldton regarding the coastline and marine-based ventures, citing a lack of input into the management of coastal erosion, and the mooring of the iconic Batavia Longboat’s relocation as examples.