Troubled waters ahead for disabled sailing group if Labor pursues Matilda Bary ferry plan

The Labor government’s pursuit of a “Metronet on the Swan” ferry terminal in the middle of Matilda Bay in Nedlands would force the state’s largest sailing organisation for people with disabilities to shut up shop, its vice president warns.

Sailability WA vice president Graham White said the ferry terminal in central Matilda Bay and subsequent ferry movements in the bay posed too many risks to its disabled members, including sailors with vision impairments.

Nedlands MP Johnathan Huston, Sailability WA vice president Graham White and UWA Boat Club president Megan Bagworth.Credit: Hamish Hastie

“I spent 50 years driving ships around the world and 25 years sailing ... and if you just imagine a very disabled person in a little dinghy coming out of our marina and being faced with a ferry coming out, just imagine that,” he said.

“We will have to terminate. I have no doubt about that as the person responsible for the safety of those participants.”

White was part of a group of about 50 river users who attended Parliament House on Thursday to hear a grievance motion by Liberal Nedlands MP Jonathan Huston about the location of the ferry terminal.

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The $107 million ferry network expansion was a key Labor election commitment and will see the existing South Perth to Elizabeth Quay route continue out to Matilda Bay and down to Applecross near the Raffles Hotel.

Huston’s grievance urged the state to reconsider the location and move the terminal to JoJo’s Cafe, on the southern side of Pelican Point.

Huston said the Matilda Bay location posed environmental and recreation issues as well as safety concerns for river users, including groups like the UWA Rowing Club and Sailability.

“There are 500 members of the Sailability program. I’d like people to understand how you could put blind or disabled sailors in the water when there’s a 25-metre ferry coming towards them and leaving,” he said.

“Why not JoJo’s jetty? Because that was one of the five locations – I’m not suggesting a location which is not part of the original submission.

“It already has a sea wall so it wouldn’t be affected by the tidal activity and energy created by a ferry of that size with its frequency.”

In response, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the Matilda Bay location was selected on advice provided to her by experts.

She said that advice suggested JoJo’s was not appropriate because it was close to a migratory bird habitat, cut through boat traffic on Melville Waters, and posed a risk to kite and wind surfers that side of Pelican Point.

“I understand not everyone is happy, but in my job, I have to make a decision, and I have to use the best advice that I’ve got, and the best advice is that this site is the better site in relation to safety, in relation to the environment, and, of course, in relation to public transport use,” she said.

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“All the advice I have to make this decision I’m not going to overturn and create risks that shouldn’t be undertaken.”

Saffioti said the state understood the issues raised by Sailability.

“We want to continue to work with them to address their particular issues and how we can make sure that that program can continue. It is an incredible program,” she said.

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