The recording below is of a meeting with Minister for the Environment, Verity Firth.  The meeting ran for about 25 minutes and would most likely be the longest any member of the public with a view on NSW Marine Parks, that differs from the governments, has ever received.

The voices you will hear in the following conversation are heard more than once. If you need to go over the tape you will pick them out when they reappear.  

•   P Creagh, Narooma Ports Committee
•   V Firth, Minister
•   A Person, adviser to Minister Firth
•   J Moore, Narooma Ports Committee
•   J Tait, Coastal Rights Association
•   T Shepard, Parks NSW
•   D Pratt, Coastal Rights Association

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Following up on the issue of the condition of rock walls in the area. The letter below was received yesterday. We thank the department for it's response and look forward to these much needed works commencing soon. Will keep you posted. Dave…

Mr Jack Tait President Coastal Rights Association Pamandjack1@yahoo.com.au

Level 4, 437 Hunter Street, NEWCASTLE NSW 2300 PO BOX 2185 DANGAR 2309 tel (02) 4920 5059; fax (02) 4925 3489; mob 0407 066 416; email Stephen.driscoll@lands.nsw.gov.au www.lands.nsw.gov.au

Date 22nd April 2008

N08/204

Dear Mr Tait I refer to your email to Hon Verity Firth MP concerning rock walls at Moruya and Batemans Bay. This matter has been forwarded to Minister Tony Kelly MLC for consideration as the Department of Lands has responsibility for management of most trained river entrances in this State. Minister Kelly has asked me to respond to you on his behalf regarding this matter as I oversee the maintenance program for breakwaters in NSW. The department’s River Entrance and Minor Ports Program maintain ocean breakwaters at 25 locations along the NSW coast. Exposure to ocean storms varies significantly from site to site however it can be expected that there will be periodic over topping of these walls, together with damage to the armour and crest. Warning signs have been erected along these walls advising the public of the risk from large waves and the variation in crest surface. A Total Asset Management System has been developed for the department’s maritime infrastructure. As part of this system, inspections are carried out annually. Condition surveys of breakwaters at Moruya, Batemans Bay and Narooma have been carried out by coastal engineers in February 2008. These surveys have been used to assist in determining a repair strategy. As a result of severe storms in late 2007 repairs to the crest of the Moruya North Breakwater have been identified. A contract has been let for this work, with the contractor to take charge of the site after the April 2008 school holidays. Minor repairs will also be undertaken at Batemans Bay and Narooma before the end of this financial year. Should you require further information, please call Mr Stephen Driscoll, State Manager Minor Ports, on (02) 4920 5059. Yours faithfully

Stephen Driscoll State Manager Minor Ports Unit Crown Lands Division

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Just in case you haven't checked your email.

In November 2007 Coastal Rights Association proved beyond reasonable doubt that the NSW State Government had not acted in accordance with the Marine Parks Act 1997 when creating regulations for Batemans Marine Park and had mislead the people of New South Wales and also the Governor.

Rather than admit this fact, Minister for the Environment Verity Firth and Minister for Primary Industries Ian MacDonald are currently seeking to amend the Marine Parks Act and cover up their lie.

Coastal Rights Association, will throw down a challenge to the Ministers and the Marine Parks Authority. Members of Coastal Rights Association will return to fishing the South Coast as it was before the Marine Park and will fish in what the Ministers say is a sanctuary zone.

Ministers if we are breaking the law, send a Marine Parks officer to fine us for fishing in a sanctuary zone. If not admit no zones exist in Batemans Marine Park and return to the table to restart the consultation process.

For further information contact.

Jack Tait 0437 128003
Dave Pratt 02 4472 8021
Rodney Stokman 02 4472 4393.

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This morning I received an email from Dr Trevor Daly from NSW Department of Primary Industries. Please read below:

Dave and Jack

Regarding the comment and photos on the Coastal Rights Association website 'CRA Apology' dated 3 April 2008 (see attached link).

Pls note that DPI Fisheries and MPA already know about these illegal works located on an unnamed  tributary of the Clyde River (downstream of Currowan Creek junction) which took place in February 2008. Several DPI Fisheries staff including myself have inspected the site and DPI is currently preparing a prosecution of the owner for breaches of the Fisheries Management Act (and possibly Marine Parks Act as well). Eurobodalla Shire Council and DECC/EPA are also taking legal action and will be issuing a Clean Up Notice to the owner under the Protection of the Environment Operations (POEO) Act requiring remediation works to be done.

Can you pls amend your webpage to note the above for the information of your members and local recreational fishers.

So, no you can't just do what you want in a waterway or marine park without consequences!

Thanks

Trevor

Dr. Trevor Daly
Fisheries Conservation Manager (South Coast)
NSW Department of Primary Industries

Thanks Trevor for your quick response to that story we are pleased that you view this matter as seriously as we and indeed the general public do.

I decided to run it and publish the photos as the talk we were hearing suggested that nothing was going to be done about the matter.

We are pleased that you were able clear it up for us.  

Dave… 

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	It  seems that Coastal Rights Association  owes the community, the government and indeed the Marine Parks Authority an apology. Contrary to our earlier view that NSW Marine Park rules were unnecessarily restrictive. During a recent trip up the Clyde River we realized how wrong we have been.
It is now obvious that any of us can do just about anything we like in a marine park, without even the need for a permit or development application.

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