The February deadline for much-needed dredging in the Swansea channel has passed without work beginning and NSW Labor is calling the situation an example of a government failure and a broken promise.
The Newcastle Herald has been reporting on the need for dredging in the popular marine thoroughfare for more than a year.
The state government, through its agency Maritime NSW, committed to removing 20 Olympic swimming pools worth of sand from the channel in the first half of 2022 but delays in issuing a tender for the work - and the appearance of rare shorebirds nesting on the sand - ultimately pushed work out to this February.
Swansea MP Yasmin Catley said on Wednesday that it was coming up on two years since dredging was last completed in the channel and work on the latest program had not yet started, despite the February target passing this week.
She said the situation was "disgraceful" and labelled it a broken promise.
Ms Catley also claimed the government backflipped on a plan to put more sand on Blacksmiths beach.
"Since I was elected as the Member for Swansea in 2015, locals have consistently raised with me the issues caused by recurrent silting in the channel. I have brought their concerns to the government by advocating for a long-term dredging solution," she said.
"First they failed to undertake dredging as part of their $6.2 million program, then they backflipped on their commitment to renourish Blacksmiths beach."
Federally, Labor last year committed to fund a permanent dredge for the area as part of the Lake Macquarie Economic Development package after the council earmarked the narrowed channel as an impediment to economic development.
Shortland MP Pat Conroy said the funding would help deliver a long-term solution, but in the meantime there would be many disappointed.
"Yet again, residents will be disappointed with the NSW Government's further delays to the dredging of Swansea Channel," he said.
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