Petition for the scuttling of the Ex-HMAS Adelaide to go ahead south of the Terrigal Skillion as planned.

Please sign the petition and let your voice be heard for the scuttling of the Ex-HMAS Adelaide to go ahead 1.8km off Avoca Beach, south of the Terrigal Skillion as planned.

A small group of so-called Avoca residents and their children - some in arms, has successfully killed off what would have been a great boost to the Central Coast’s tourism industry and what had the potential to be a world class marine science facility at Terrigal. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal put a stay on the scuttling of the Adelaide. This now means that it is highly likely that the Adelaide will be lost for good. It cannot be towed very far and the cost to the government of keeping it in Sydney Harbour will force their hand in disposing of it. Central Coast Business Review now understands that the Court hearing will be on 5th May and in the meantime the Government is looking for mediation opportunities between both parties.

What is infuriating for the majority of Central Coast people and in particular those who put in considerable voluntary effort to get this ship as a dive site, is that we were ambushed at such a late stage by a handful of people assisted by what appears to be professional protesters. CCBR understands that letters have been put in Avoca mail boxes asking for donations to mount a court action. The point of their hypocrisy is that until these people, who now have to claim that they have never read any newspapers on the subject over the past 10 years, were happy to see it sunk somewhere between Terrigal or Wamberal or anywhere else on the Australian coast, like the rest of this class of warship.

It is up to those other than the CCARP (Central Coast Artificial Reef Project) who want the Adelaide for the Coast to put their hand up and let the Government and the media know their position. SO IT IS UP TO US!

If you agree, please sign the petition at

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/yes_to_scuttling_the_ex-hmas-adelaide/

Contributed by Tim Hochgrebe added 2010-03-26