Cove ramp funding guaranteed

No matter who wins the March 13 election, funding has been guaranteed for a boat ramp at Drummond Cove. The Liberals have promised $1.5 million of Royalties for Regions funding for the project if they are elected. That pledge falls well short of the $3m Labor vowed to commit for erosion control and a boat ramp at Drummond Cove, and the Nationals’ $8.3m for erosion control for Drummond Cove and Bluff Point. Shadow regional development minister Steve Thomas said it was time proposal was finally implemented. “It was first proposed by the old shire of Greenough in the 1990s and examined by the Department of Transport in 1998, when they confirmed it as a likely site for a much-needed district ramp,” he said. “More than 20 years later the Liberal Party thinks it is time to act.” Dr Thomas said the project was expected to be co-funded by the City of Greater Geraldton, with other funding sources being considered. “The total cost of the project is expected to be between $3 million and $6 million, depending on the final design,” he said. Dr Thomas said only the Liberal Party had a costed and economically sustainable plan for the Royalties for Regions fund, and because of this they could be trusted to deliver on their regional commitments. Liberal candidate for Geraldton Rob Dines said the project had dual potential outcomes in providing a boat launching service and managing coastal erosion. “The original plans for the boat ramp recommended that it could also form the basis of a coastal erosion and beach sand management plan, and that remains an important issue on the coast north of Geraldton,” Mr Dines said. “This is a win-win project and I am glad that we will be able to deliver it under a Liberal Government if we are successful in March.” Dr Thomas said that a project that both served the local community and protected the environment was a natural target in the regional development space and should already have been delivered.