Tuesday, 9 September 2025

Port Welshpool marine search and rescue

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (19:18): (1308) The adjournment matter I raise this evening is for the Minister for Emergency Services, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide funding for the replacement of the Port Welshpool coastguard vessel. I have previously written to the minister and have more recently provided a business case for the replacement of the vessel to the minister, but I want to impress upon her the need for this.

I met with the coastguard last week. The Port Welshpool coastguard provides coastguard services within Corner Inlet and down to the tip of Wilsons Prom. There is not a replacement or an alternative option between, basically, Port Welshpool and the water police at Paynesville. There is the Port Albert coastguard, but it does not have a boat that can do the same work that the Port Welshpool guys can. They are a fantastic crew of volunteers who undertake quite a number of rescues and other options every year. Unfortunately, their current vessel is now 25 years old and last year was out of action for about 60 per cent of the time due to maintenance issues.

I have a personal interest in this. The current vessel was the previous Paynesville water police vessel. One of the very first things I was able to do as an MP in the upper house, in the other place, was secure that vessel for Port Welshpool, so it came as a bit of a shock to hear that they were in need of a new one, and it reminded me how long I have been around.

The Port Welshpool coastguard does a great job. It regularly looks after all of those maritime activities in Corner Inlet and around Wilsons Prom, ranging from accidents on the prom with hikers who might need to be picked up from a beach to passing yachts, to boaties who get into trouble in the inlet and even down to kayakers. One of their recent rescues was some kayakers that got caught by the weather in a difficult position.

The coastguard provide a wonderful service, and they have put together a really good business case which explains why their boat needs to be replaced quite urgently. It is estimated as possibly a $2 million buy for a new vessel, and I have asked the coastguard whether there is the prospect of another vessel that could be repurposed for them. They are not aware of any at this stage, but I would be happy if the minister and her department could provide any advice on that. Certainly, though, their preference is for a new vessel, and I encourage the minister to give this urgent consideration.