May I firstly recognise the Barramattagul of the Dharug people as the traditional custodians of this land and acknowledge their sustainable culture that survived unchanged for thousands of years. And I also recognise the successive waves of migrants who have come to our great continent and, along with our Aboriginal Australians, helped to make Australia this great nation of ours.

May I acknowledge the Hon Paul McLeay MP Minister for Ports and Waterway, the Hon Tanya Gadiel MP, Deputy Speaker and Member for Parramatta, Ryde Mayor Cr Michael Butterworth, the hardworking Council staff of Parramatta and Ryde, the staff of Maritime NSW, and ladies and gentlemen.

May I say welcome and good afternoon to you all.

The Right Worshipful Lord Mayor, Clr Paul Garrard, sends his apologies that he is unable to be with you today. But his absence is absolutely my privilege. So I am delighted to be here with you to at this Ermington Boat Facility.

As a card carrying member of the boating community, on behalf of that community, I am grateful that Parramatta City Council and Ryde City Council received grants from the NSW Maritime Authority to undertake the upgrade of the Wharf Road, Ermington boat ramp, pontoon and associated works.

100% of the funding, to the value of $672,500, was received and spent to date under the NSW State Government’s Better Boating Program. And additional funds have been allocated for this current year to complete the exit road from the carpark.

Therefore, Better Boating Program funds for the entire facility total $831,100. This contribution of taxpayer monies is by the NSW State Government. So thank you very much NSW State Government.

One could be forgiven to think that despite shelving of a very important infrastructure promise made by the NSW State Government, ie the Parramatta-Chatswood Rail Link, I am very appreciative that this promise for Wharf Road and the Ermington boat ramp has been signed, sealed and actually delivered. So I must give credit where credit is due.

I must also take this opportunity to thank the very hardworking staff of Parramatta City Council who entirely managed this project, including the design and construction of the works.

It may interest you to know that this project was undertaken in 3 stages:

(a) the carpark upgrade works and circulation improvements were completed in May 2009;

(b) the boat ramp extension and upgrade works were completed in November last year;

(c) and the pontoon upgrade works were completed just last December.

And I am also very pleased to say that Parramatta City Council officers’ worked very closely with the key stakeholders being the various sections within NSW Maritime as well as NSW Fisheries. I trust everyone will agree that the outcome of this collaboration has been simply marvellous.

In closing, Minister McLeay and Deputy Speaker Gadiel, if you have any more grants and shovel-ready infrastructure projects you would like to complete before the NSW state election next year, Parramatta City Council would be extremely thrilled and enthusiastic to work with you again.

Thank you!

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