Central Coast in a spin over rumours Obama will sink their battleship

The NSW government is giving one lucky resident of the Central Coast the opportunity to blow up a navy ship, despite vocal resident objection, as rumours abound in the local community that the President of the United States could drop by for the explosion.

Such is the level of interest and intrigue around the sinking of the HMAS Adelaide off the coast of Terrigal, 85 kilometres north of Sydney. The federal government has invested $5.8 million in creating the dive wreck and artificial reef, which is expected to net the local community $11 million annually in tourism benefit. But objectors say the ship is toxic and will be sunk far too close to shore, handing environment minister Peter Garrett another controversial decision.

The NSW Premier’s Department told Crikey they have no knowledge of any detour to the sleepy seaside township on the President’s planned Australian tour. But the Roads and Traffic Authority is closing several roads and VIP tents will be erected, with local council plans in place for up to 80,000 spectators — sparking the rumour mill in the community. One local business leader told Crikey a Presidential appearance was highly unlikely.

The HMAS Adelaide will be blown up on March 27 — the same day as Earth Hour, environmentalists point out. The President is expected in Canberra to address parliament on March 23 and while his itinerary after that remains a secret he’s unlikely to remain in the country until the weekend.

What’s more concerning to residents is the role the state government is playing in the event. It has been running advertisements in the local paper, the Express Advocate, and on local radio and television to promote its “Push the Button” competition. Media outlets will pick winners to watch the event from the VIP tent, with one person selected to pull the trigger (proceeds are being donated to the local surf lifesaving club and rescue helicopter service).

Michelle Meares, from the No Ship action group, believes the government’s zeal to promote the event and local tourism is suppressing information on the environmental damage the sinking will create.

“This is a major conflict of interest when every local media outlet is promoting this event of environmental vandalism,” Meares told Crikey.

Residents are concerned the 4000-tonne vessel will leak dangerous toxins and heavy metals into the pristine bay. The ship will also be sunk about 1.7 kilometres offshore from North Avoca Beach — the closest scuttled naval ship to the Australian shore.

“There was no environmental impact statement about this sinking,” Meares said. “Instead the government chose to take the route of preparing a Review of Environmental Factors which does not require community consultation. This review was only publicly released about four weeks ago — and only once the community put the pressure on.

“The Department of Defence is basically using our community as a dumping ground for their scrap metal — they are not allowed to dispose of these ships on land due to the toxic substances in the ship and size and they cost too much to retrofit them so they choose to dump it in the ocean and promote it as a tourist attraction.”

Peter Evans, the president of the Avoca Beach Chamber of Commerce, says the wreck will boost tourism but reckons the government has been “caught on the back foot” over the community outrage.

A spokesperson from the Department of Premier and Cabinet told Crikey there has been an “extensive, two-year consultation process” including “several advertised and well-attended public meetings… The hull of the ex-HMAS Adelaide was painted with an environmentally-safe paint, known as a self-polishing primer. It does not have TBTs [tributyl tin] or lead in it. To allay any public fears, independent tests were conducted by Airsafe, which confirmed there were no traces of PCBs [polychlorinated biphenyls].”

As for the competition? “This is about involving the community, and providing one person from the Central Coast with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sink a ship,” the spokesman said.

The final decision rests — uncomfortably, again — with federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who must sign a sea dumping certificate. A ministerial spokesperson told Crikey the Department is considering the application which has yet to make it to the Minister’s desk.

The HMAS Adelaide was involved in the rescue of asylum seekers from the sunken SIEV 4 vessel in 2001 — the scandal that became known as the Children Overboard affair. Controversy will follow, it seems, to its ultimate seabed demise.