BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE
The former Stockton Tip Site is now set to be cleaned up properly, with a $1 million commitment of emergency funding announced today by the state government.
A weekend of large swells earlier this month worsened erosion issues, exposing rubbish which threatens to roll into the ocean.
Half of the site is managed by Hunter Water and the other by Crown Lands, complicating cleanup efforts and sparking calls for action from Newcastle Labor MP, Tim Crakanthorp.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald said following Hunter Water’s quick response, Crown Lands are now doing their part.
“Crown Lands is coming to the party now, we’ve got a million dollars of emergency funding to address what we can do in the short term about making it safe and identifying what rubbish we need to get away,” Mr MacDonald said.
“Then we will continue the collaboration with Hunter Water and Newcastle Council for long term solutions,” he concluded.
Council CEO Jeremy Bath issued a similar sentiment, saying “Council welcomes this funding from the NSW Government and we will continue to collaborate with their agencies to clean up this legacy site.”
Works are expected to take two weeks to complete, weather permitting.
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A resident inspects the debris uncovered by recent wild weather at Stockton. Image: Newcastle Star. |