Sand Dredging

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:12): My question is to the Attorney-General with responsibility for the current sand dredging trials off our coastal shores. Could he please give us an update on what the status is of the two-month trial?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:12): I thank the honourable member for her question. There is a dredge trial that has commenced. It commenced in October and will continue towards the end of 2024. It is providing important information that will help determine the future of dredging and sand management in that northern coastal area. The trial involves dredging sand from multiple sites and depositing it at West Beach using various techniques to test the technical and operational practicality of those methods of replacing sand there.

Final decisions on longer term dredging will be made in consideration after those trials have finished. I am informed that in line with the recommendations for West Beach, the Department for Environment and Water is coordinating a delivery of an additional approximately 100,000 cubic metres of quarry sand in 2024-25, above the annual maintenance volume that has been committed since our term in government.