Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about the ongoing issues with the Jurien Bay boat harbour. Jurien Bay is a beautiful town in my electorate of Durack, known for crayfishing and ocean tourism industries. At just 2½ hours drive north of Perth, it offers the chance to swim with sea lions or catch some deep-sea fish, and it attracts state, interstate and international tourists alike.

Unfortunately, the Jurien Bay Marina suffers from extensive water quality issues caused by seagrass and sediment accumulating and decomposing in harbour waters. This deprives the water of oxygen and has led to many large-scale fish and marine life kills. This issue has significant environmental impacts, along with identified health risks to swimmers and a smell described by many as 'simply unbearable'.

The WA Department of Transport, after extensive data collection, trials and environmental studies, have determined that a redesign of Jurien Bay's harbour entrance, with a 150-metre spur groyne, will rectify the issue. All they need is for the state government to commit the funds. Many representations have been made to the state government by wonderful community action groups, yet they refuse to address this alarming problem. So I call on the WA state government to please listen to the Jurien Bay community, and to fix their marina as a matter of urgency. They deserve nothing less.