TROY BELL MP
Member for Mount Gambier
Your Independent voice
in State Parliament
Calls grow for rescue aid
Friday January 13, 2023Published by: The Border Watch
By: Aidan Curtis
A BOATING incident on New Year's Day has renewed calls for a dedicated marine rescue service in Port MacDonnell.
At around 9.30am on January 1, a boat off the coast of Port MacDonnell sent out a distress signal after breaking down and becoming stranded in the water.
While emergency services were notified, it was a local fisherman who was called in to tow the boat to shore.
Despite the happy ending with everyone making it to shore safely, Coast Guard South East marine radio operator Robert Stewart said it was only a matter of time before the worst case scenario happened.
Mr Stewart said there was an obvious need for a marine rescue service located in Port MacDonnell.
"We're on what we call the Shipwreck Coast because we've had major emergencies down here, we've had significant vessels sinking dating back to the 1800s like the Admella," he said.
"We've had a string of emergencies down here - boats sinking, breakdowns, capsized vessels.
"Something needs to be done sooner rather than later, because if it keeps getting put in the too hard basket like it is, then worst case scenario we'll see fatalities out here because of the inaction." Mr Stewart said there has been overwhelming support from the Port MacDonnell community in favour of a marine rescue service and he could not see why the State Government was so hesitant to fund one.
"When it was first proposed to have a rescue vessel here, there was an overwhelming response by people in the Port Mac community to be trained up for it," he said.
"A lot of people said they would be willing to donate their time and get trained just as long as it saved them from doing it on their own boats.
"Commercial vessels have a lot of equipment on board - if one of their boats get damaged in the tow, they're left at the mercy of the insurance companies who probably won't give them a pay out.
"And they're putting their own lives in danger doing something that's better suited to someone who is trained in sea rescue." Despite the community support, the State Government has not agreed to fund a marine rescue service in the region.
Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell has called for a fund in the interim to compensate local fishers whose boats get damaged through taking part in marine rescues, but has not received State Government support.
"Honestly, I am flabbergasted because we've been raising this issue for four or five years now," Mr Bell said.
"A rescue facility is the ultimate goal, but I see no reason why a fund couldn't be set up immediately to at least give recognition and compensation to those who perform these rescues pretty much on behalf of the State Government." Mr Bell said he will be encouraging Premier Peter Malinauskas and Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services Joe Szakacs to visit Port MacDonnell to hear the need for a rescue service directly from the community.
"I think there is a disconnect between Adelaide and the southernmost part of the state in Port MacDonnell, so we need to get that addressed," he said.