Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The weekend before last I stood shoulder to shoulder with Stockton residents. Stockton is a tight-knit community that is under massive pressure as it faces the full force of unchecked coastal erosion. In less than a year the people of Stockton have seen the forced closure of their early childhood education centre and the temporary, albeit extended, closure of their beach. More than a metre of beach is now being lost each year, even more in large weather events. Earlier this month the situation deteriorated further after massive storms. The popular Lexie's on the Beach cafe had to be shut down with very little notice. Additionally, 16 cabins had to be moved from the publicly owned Stockton caravan park, and Stockton was declared a natural disaster zone. The speed of the catastrophic erosion has shocked even the most hardened observers, and it has devastated community members. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated.

Regretfully, while the state Labor opposition has pledged unconditional bipartisan support to fix the erosion, the New South Wales Liberal government has been very slow to act, leaving the City of Newcastle to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to the emergency response. But the state member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp, has done a great job forcing the Berejiklian government to listen to the people of Stockton—to their needs and their profound sense of anxiety for what lies ahead. However, I believe the federal government also has a role to play. While it has a legislated responsibility to support disaster declared areas, I believe the Morrison government also needs to take national leadership when it comes to coastal erosion.

Stockton isn't the only community facing existential threats from the sea. There are nearly 39,000 buildings and hundreds of coastal communities located within 100 metres of soft shorelines, which are at risk from accelerated erosion. Last year I called on the Morrison government to develop a national plan to respond to coastal erosion. This call was vindicated by the release of Infrastructure Australia's Infrastructure Priority List, which, for the first time ever, called for the development of a coastal inundation protection strategy. Coastal erosion is clearly an issue that doesn't respect state borders, and we need a truly national plan if we're going to respond to it effectively. It's time for the federal government to stop shirking its responsibilities and deliver the national leadership that is expected.

I note that the Stockton Surf Life Saving Club wrote to the Prime Minister in September last year. The assistant minister responded on the Prime Minister's behalf. I followed with my own letter, reaffirming the dire urgency of the situation and formally inviting him to visit Stockton as a matter of urgency. My invitation, Assistant Minister, still stands.