The good, the bad and the ugly

A dredging contractor worker checks a stack of dredging pipe recently delivered to the entrance of Lake Illawarra in preparation for dredging work to commence in the near future

The long awaited and much anticipated dredging component of the lake entrance project will commence in the not too distant future encouraging for those who are daunted by the layers of grey foam and sludge which currently characterise the waters edge around the swimming lagoon at Reddall Reserve.

The bad news is that the dredging of the lake entrance is running behind schedule - again.

Previously forecast by the Lake Illawarra Authority to commence in December 2006, the dredging was subsequently rescheduled to commence in January, and now it is unlikely to commence much before the latter part of February, given that workers on-site say it will take about a month to assemble the dredging pipeline.

Weve got around a hundred lengths of pipe to connect with each connection requiring 12 bolts that will take about a month to put together, the worker said.

The ugly news is that according to the minutes of the October meeting of the Lake Illawarra Authority, in relation to the $1.75 million budget blow-out on the entrance works, a decision had been reached to approach Shellharbour and Woollongong Councils for their share of the additional funds needed, but it was recommended not to approach the State Government for their share of the additional funding requirements.

Rather, the minutes report that it was recommended to take the State governments share out of the annual lake restoration program funds presumably meaning that lake restoration work either will or has already suffered to the tune of approximately $850,000.

This is contrary to a statement made by Lake Illawarra Authority Chairman Doug Prosser, to the Lake Times (October 26, 2006) at the time of the announcement of the budget blowout that these funds will be matched by State Government funding already promised to the Authority.

Members of the Save Lake Illawarra Action Group (SLIAG) say they are frustrated by what they call a constant stream of misrepresentation and mis-information by the Lake Illawarra Authority.

I dont know why they cant just be upfront and honest about the situation, SLIAG member Bob Parsons said.

I know the Authority sees us as an annoying thorn in their side, but this continuous misrepresentation to the community of progress, cost and funding issues breeds a sense of mistrust.

In the November 30, 2006 issue of the Lake Times, Independent candidate for the seat of Shellharbour, Alex Darling was quoted (and subsequently slammed by his political opponents for speaking out against the LIA) as saying &weve had no advice from them (the LIA) as to whether the Sate Government has matched the two Councils latest funding contributions.

It would now appear that the State Government wasnt even asked to.

Lake Illawarra Chairman, Mr Doug Prosser said the important thing was that the work of the lake entrance was proceeding.

As has always been the case with this project, we are running on a knife edge, Mr Prosser said.

But we have the funds and work is progressing.

Weve had the technical experts look at the water depth issue on the northern wall, which could have been a potential problem, and our consultants tell us that shortening the wall by a few metres will overcome the issue without impacting on the walls performance.