❓ Mr Shane Love questioned the Minister for Transport about government action to safeguard infrastructure in Lancelin and Port Denison following a storm-induced coastal erosion event. The Minister acknowledged the challenge, outlined existing strategies like hotspot analysis and CHRMAPs, and discussed the complexities of protection, mitigation, and retreat.
AnsweredQoN 353Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Coastal erosion—Lancelin and Port Denison
353. Mr Shane Love to
the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the storm
front on 31 May that caused massive coastal erosion in Lancelin and Port
Denison. What action is the government taking to safeguard very significant
public and private infrastructure under immediate threat of destruction,
including roads, numerous homes, recreation centres, retirement villages,
caravan parks and a hotel?
353. Mr Shane Love to
the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the storm
front on 31 May that caused massive coastal erosion in Lancelin and Port
Denison. What action is the government taking to safeguard very significant
public and private infrastructure under immediate threat of destruction,
including roads, numerous homes, recreation centres, retirement villages,
caravan parks and a hotel?
AnswerView source ↗
This is not actually
directly in my portfolio, but I have relevant notes from the other ministers.
Mr Shane Love: You are the Minister for
Transport and it is transportation related.
Ms Rita Saffioti: The Minister Assisting the Minister
for Transport is here, but that is okay. We all agree that coastal erosion is a
massive challenge for everyone in Western Australia. Back in 2022, we undertook
a hotspot analysis to identify the key hotspots around the state. At the time,
I also approached the federal government about a partnership across the nation
because this is not something that is just relevant to Western Australia. We
have seen images of significant private and public infrastructure being
impacted around the New South Wales coast in particular.
Last year, for
Lancelin, we provided emergency funding of $150,000 to the shire to help
address the erosion, and emergency works were undertaken. We continue to work
with the relevant shires, but there is no easy solution. We have seen that some
of these storm fronts are much bigger than we modelled back in 2022. Around
that coastline, that is actually what has happened. The impact is greater than
we modelled.
Mr Shane Love: Tell me about it!
Ms Rita Saffioti: Pardon?
Several members
interjected.
Ms Rita Saffioti: The Department of Planning, Lands
and Heritage, of course, works with councils to identify and map the hazards
around the coast; I think the technical name is CHRMAP, or coastal hazard risk
management and adaptation plan. It also looks at prospective infrastructure to
make sure that we have the relevant setbacks. That is always controversial
because, as part of looking at the future, we are always wanting greater
setbacks, and people debate that. They say that there is no way they should not
be able to build closer to the ocean. As we have seen, if we do not have those
setbacks, there will be significant issues in the future.
We do the CHRMAP through
the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, then the Department of
Transport and Major Infrastructure under the Minister Assisting the Minister
for Transport helps in the area with grants and working with councils.
Do you protect, do
you mitigate or do you retreat? That is a fundamental question for a lot of
communities. We will continue to work with the local communities, as I said. Around
the nation, we have seen that it is not an easy thing because people have
different views. Some people say we should go out and try to reduce the impact
of the erosion. We saw that with the port of Fremantle. What happens then, of
course, is it just moves. We saw it in Geraldton, in particular, at Drummond
Cove. Again, you go and try to protect the coast, but sometimes you are actually
just moving the erosion further along the coastline.
We sympathise, and we
understand it is a challenge. That is why the Department of Planning, Lands and
Heritage, the Minister for Planning and Lands, and the Department of Transport
and Major Infrastructure, through the Minister Assisting the Minister for
Transport, work with local councils to both help with the research and then find
solutions to try to support protecting our coastline.
directly in my portfolio, but I have relevant notes from the other ministers.
Mr Shane Love: You are the Minister for
Transport and it is transportation related.
Ms Rita Saffioti: The Minister Assisting the Minister
for Transport is here, but that is okay. We all agree that coastal erosion is a
massive challenge for everyone in Western Australia. Back in 2022, we undertook
a hotspot analysis to identify the key hotspots around the state. At the time,
I also approached the federal government about a partnership across the nation
because this is not something that is just relevant to Western Australia. We
have seen images of significant private and public infrastructure being
impacted around the New South Wales coast in particular.
Last year, for
Lancelin, we provided emergency funding of $150,000 to the shire to help
address the erosion, and emergency works were undertaken. We continue to work
with the relevant shires, but there is no easy solution. We have seen that some
of these storm fronts are much bigger than we modelled back in 2022. Around
that coastline, that is actually what has happened. The impact is greater than
we modelled.
Mr Shane Love: Tell me about it!
Ms Rita Saffioti: Pardon?
Several members
interjected.
Ms Rita Saffioti: The Department of Planning, Lands
and Heritage, of course, works with councils to identify and map the hazards
around the coast; I think the technical name is CHRMAP, or coastal hazard risk
management and adaptation plan. It also looks at prospective infrastructure to
make sure that we have the relevant setbacks. That is always controversial
because, as part of looking at the future, we are always wanting greater
setbacks, and people debate that. They say that there is no way they should not
be able to build closer to the ocean. As we have seen, if we do not have those
setbacks, there will be significant issues in the future.
We do the CHRMAP through
the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, then the Department of
Transport and Major Infrastructure under the Minister Assisting the Minister
for Transport helps in the area with grants and working with councils.
Do you protect, do
you mitigate or do you retreat? That is a fundamental question for a lot of
communities. We will continue to work with the local communities, as I said. Around
the nation, we have seen that it is not an easy thing because people have
different views. Some people say we should go out and try to reduce the impact
of the erosion. We saw that with the port of Fremantle. What happens then, of
course, is it just moves. We saw it in Geraldton, in particular, at Drummond
Cove. Again, you go and try to protect the coast, but sometimes you are actually
just moving the erosion further along the coastline.
We sympathise, and we
understand it is a challenge. That is why the Department of Planning, Lands and
Heritage, the Minister for Planning and Lands, and the Department of Transport
and Major Infrastructure, through the Minister Assisting the Minister for
Transport, work with local councils to both help with the research and then find
solutions to try to support protecting our coastline.
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