Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to congratulate Kathryn Butler, Josh Rummery and Ken Wilson of the Port Macquarie Tidal Pool Committee for their advocacy and hard work in the push for an ocean tidal pool in Port Macquarie. There have been calls for an ocean tidal pool since the 1970s, and in recent years a petition of over 18,000 signatures had been presented to Port Macquarie's local council calling on them to investigate the potential for a great community resource and tourist attraction. On 18 June 2019, it was great to be with the tidal pool committee and the Deputy Prime Minister in Port Macquarie confirming almost $4.5 million for the pool.

So it's with a great deal of disappointment that I find that some councillors on Port Macquarie-Hastings Council deem this major project 'not a priority'. A facility that would serve the young mums and their kids; one that would serve for the recreation and rehabilitation of the record number of aged citizens living in Port Macquarie; a pool that would serve as a tourist attraction, particularly for the 10,000 people annually attending the Ironman triathlon in Port Macquarie—not a priority? No. What is a priority is the council's intention to proceed with a plan for an orbital road, disrupting several hundreds of homes, against the cries and protests of the community. But there are a few councillors, including Mayor Peta Pinson, who do listen, and she is championing the tidal pool and all the benefits that come with it. So I say to the tidal pool committee and the community of Port Macquarie: keep up the great work. We have the 35th iron man competition this May and local council elections in September.