Organiser of sailing group for people with disabilities warns Matilda Bay jetty would doom program

A sailing program for people with disabilities has warned it will have to shut down if the Cook Government’s proposed Matilda Bay ferry terminal goes ahead.

The warning came outside State Parliament on Thursday as the Government progresses with early plans to build a ferry terminal at Matilda Bay as part of an expanded Swan River service.

The opposition to the ferry terminal was brought to parliament by Nedlands MP Jonathan Huston who has been a vocal critic of the proposal.

Following the discussion in parliament, around 50 Matilda Bay water users including Sailability — a program allowing people with disabilities to sail boats on the Swan River — gathered to express their concern.

Sailability WA vice president Graham White gave an emotional warning of the future of the program he founded if the ferry terminal went ahead.

“We will have to terminate, I have no doubt of that,” he said.

“As a person responsible for the safety of those participants, we have told them, we’ve told the department, we’ve written many letters.”

Mr White said Matilda Bay was the best spot for running the program safely.

“The reason that our program is in Matilda Bay, it provides the best venue on the river in terms of wind, wind direction, and in particular, access for our participants on and off boats,” he said.

“Our jetties are all floating jetties and that means people can drive safely along jetties and be lifted into their dingies or their yacht safely.”

The comments came after Mr Huston took his grievance to parliament, saying he wasn’t against ferries on the Swan but against the location.

“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 meter ferry coming towards them and leaving,” he said.

While Mr Huston spoke to his strong opposition, his party leader Basil Zempilas struck a more balanced tone.

Mr Zempilas said he was open to the options on the terminal placement.

“To be honest I have an open mind, I genuinely have an open mind, I would like the ferry terminal to go in the best location, and that’s right around the river,” he said.

“Whatever the best locations are that take all of the factors into consideration, I’d like them to go at the best locations that would see the most number of people use them.”

In response to Mr Huston’s grievance, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the government would continue to work with Sailability.

“Can I particularly acknowledge the Sailability team, we understand their specific issues and we want to continue to work with them to address their particular issues and how we can make sure that that program can continue,” she said.

“It is an incredible program, and we want to work with Sailability to make sure that they can continue.

“As you know, this was an election commitment we took to the election . . . we announced that we would be expanding the ferry system across the water, noting that WA as opposed to other places is not using our water sufficiently for public transport.”