BB Boaters Interview ABC Radio South East

 This is an Interview with Simon Lauder ABC Radio South East

Simon Lauder: When it was announced that $300,000 would be spent to upgrade the Batemans Bay boat ramp at the mouth of the Clyde local boaties for chuffed at the news however the plans have now changed and it's not such good news according to the Batemans Bay Boat Association the President Harry Watson Smith who joins us this morning.

Thank you very much for joining us to talk about this now where is the latest information on this coming from?

Harry: We found out about this project when the Council tried to close the boat ramp for a day during these school holidays. We got a copy of the Engineer’s diagram and trying to relate that to what Minister Andrew Constance had approved. He had approved the southern pontoon safety upgrade, extended it and put some lights in but when we found the plan of action it was completely different.

So about eight of us, local boaties, the game fishing clubs, fishers and other boat users, we called Council and thankfully two of their Managers came to an on-site meeting and we talk through what they were proposing and what we think should happen.

Simon Lauder: OK so from what was announced and what is in this Engineers report or what's before council at the moment Harry what's the difference what's changed in the plan?

Harry: There are two significant differences, firstly the approval was for the upgrade of the Southern pontoon. A pontoon is what you tie your boat to when you have launched it or when you return from fishing. That means upgrading the surface which is wood, there are splinters, the plastic on the sides are chipped and broken and the pile and the pontoon has a gap and any kid can put their hand down there and get crushed. So we really applauded the Minister for allocating money to address these safety issue but it is not going to happen.

And the second point on the northern pontoon over the years the end pontoon has been adjusted so older blokes like myself can easily get into our vessels because it has been lowered quite near the water and we can step into our boats. Kayaks & canoes can also come along side and the overhang will not protrude and turn them over. That not going ahead either because that's been taken away.

So for safety and accessibility this is really a big point as are the lights which I can talk about but those are secondary issues.

Simon Lauder: What explanation were you given Harry from the council as to why the plan has changed so much?

Harry: There was no explanation. They said they did a survey and I believe that had 57 responses not on this particular topic and they consulted with one small group who actually don't pay the licence fees that funded this project.

Simon Lauder: We will get onto the Council to see if they can tell us more about it. Thanks very much for bringing that to our attention.

Harry: A pleasure Simon I am sure there are many other people listening to your program - show who would contribute their particular experience of how this boat ramp just does not work.

Listen to the interview here: https://drive.google.com/.../1tgeE3d24C1o9IqlMQYd.../view...