The three major parties on Newcastle council have united to push the state government to act on Stockton's worsening beach erosion.
Greens, Liberal and Labor councillors have co-signed a notice of motion to Tuesday's council meeting which calls for the state government to apply for a mining licence to extract offshore sand to replenish the beach and fund a sand nourishment program.
It's believed to be the first time 12 Newcastle councillors have joint-submitted a motion. Greens councillor John Mackenzie, who is running for the seat of Newcastle in next year's state election, spearheaded the action.
The federal government committed $4.7 million and council $1.5 million for the first stage of a long-term plan to restore the beach, but it's estimated initial sand nourishment will cost $21 million, followed by $12 million in maintenance each decade.
The council and state government have been in a stand-off over who should apply for the mining licence.
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp last week wrote to Planning Minister Anthony Roberts asking the state government's Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation to apply for the licence, which would "break the stalemate" between the two levels of government.
Mr Crakanthorp said $900,000 of the federal and council funding would go towards assessment and approval for offshore sand extraction, including a mining licence.
"With this funding now secured to commence the planning and approvals stage, I look forward to the next meeting of the [Stockton Beach] Taskforce to ensure this happens," he said.
"We are also taking into account the funding that has been secured to inform our policy for Stockton in the lead up to the March election. Both Labor leader Chris Minns and I are determined to develop a meaningful policy that deals with this issue."
But a Department of Regional NSW spokesperson said "responsibility for lodging any required mining applications rests with the City of Newcastle, which has been the appropriate lead proponent from the outset" and that it does not fund projects without relevant approvals, such as mining leases.
Cr Mackenzie said it was "entirely unreasonable for the government to pass the buck onto a local council", with offshore mining being "outside the core business of local government, and beyond council expertise".
"This proposal is being used as a shameful delay tactic, when the NSW government has the authority, funding and capability to proceed right now," he said.
"The anger from Stockton residents is white hot, and they are frustrated with the continuing delays of getting sand onto the beach.
"We have had flyover visits from leaders of both the government and opposition, but they make no commitments and refuse to provide any reassurance to the community. No one can understand why the Liberal government is sitting on its hands and the Labor opposition is refusing to hold them accountable for the approved sand nourishment plan."
Newcastle Liberals leader, councillor Callum Pull said he was sick of both sides pointing the finger at each other.
"There is no such thing as an innocent party in this," he said. "This legacy of failure is not restricted to any one person, any one council or any one government.
"We need the state government to step in, step up, and help protect these residents in Stockton."
Labor deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said council had come to the party by committing $27.5 million into infrastructure to protect Stockton from erosion.
"The NSW government's investment and support is urgently needed to ensure we can get sand back onto the beach to protect the NSW government-owned beach, public land and private property from further erosion," he said.
Independent councillor John Church said he was still considering his position on the issue, and wasn't sure if the motion would do anything other than score political points.
