It’s happening: Labor matches Coalition’s $5 million Federal election pledge for Albany artificial surf reef

Albany’s proposed artificial surf reef will be delivered regardless of which party is elected on May 21, with Labor matching the Coalition by pledging the $5 million needed to get the project over the line. The Albany surfing community has been campaigning for an artificial surf reef for more than 20 years to provide a safe, consistent surf break close to the city. The WA Government has already provided $5m towards the $11m Southern Ocean Surf Reef project, with the City of Albany council in February agreeing to provide the remaining funding needed if a further $5m was secured from the Federal Government. Labor’s election commitment comes after Liberal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson last month pledged $5m for the reef if the Coalition retained government. Labor candidate for O’Connor Shaneane Weldon said she was proud to have secured the funds to “help local surfers and the community finally receive the surf reef they deserve”. Albany MLA Rebecca Stephens said the commitment was fantastic news for the surfing community who “had waited so long for this project to be fully funded”. “When all three levels of government work together our community wins,” she said. The proposed reef would be a 165m submerged rock reef situated about 140m offshore from Middleton Beach and 150m north of the Surfers Beach car park. It is expected to provide consistent surf breaks of up to 100m for about 41 per cent of the year.