Join Call to End Shark Nets in Sydney

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23 June 2025

In 2024, the NSW Government asked our member Councils whether their communities wanted shark nets and the answer across our four coastal members where shark nets are deployed was a resounding no. Further information on the SCCG’s position can be found in our letter to Ministers here.

As identified in the SCCG’s media statement (March 2025), shark nets are outdated, scientifically ineffective, and responsible for the unnecessary deaths of protected marine species, including dolphins, turtles, and rays. We are urging the NSW Government to remove shark nets and shift toward modern, non-lethal technologies for shark mitigation which have been shown to be much more effective and less lethal.

This position is supported by the NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) which released a strong critique of shark nets and its governance under the Joint Management Agreement (JMA). It highlighted a failure to meet environmental obligations and manage impacts to threatened species due to the use of shark nets.

With the current nets due to be redeployed in September, the window for action is now. We strongly encourage your organisation to write to the NSW Minister for Agriculture (Hon. Tara Moriarty) and the NSW Minister for the Environment (Hon. Penny Sharpe) asking them to:

  • Prohibit the redeployment of shark nets in 2025, and
  • Commit to investing in more effective, non-lethal shark mitigation solutions.

By uniting our voices, we can amplify public concern, drive policy change, and protect both marine life and ocean users.

Franc.2025 Conference

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The official conference of Stormwater NSW, Franc.2025 is set for 15-16 October this year.

franc.2025 will be held at the Mercure Hotel Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin. The conference will feature two days of engaging presentations and speakers, a day of pre-conference workshops, and a technical tour showcasing local examples of stormwater management in the Hunter region.

The theme for franc.2025 is Building Partnerships, Finding Solutions

franc.2025 builds upon the success of previous franc conferences and will continue to provide a dynamic platform for the industry to come together, collaborate, share knowledge, and learn from each other.  It will also feature informative site visits, interactive hands-on workshops, and an expo showcasing state-of-the-art technologies in stormwater management. knowledge-sharing format.

In addition, the Stormwater NSW Awards for Excellence winners will be announced at a special event on Wednesday, 15 October.

Further details and registration links can be found via Franc’s website here.

The Conference Program is also available and can be viewed here.

A victory for coastal communities: NSW Government reverses decision on requiring Councils to fund Beachwatch monitoring

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5 June 2025

The Sydney Coastal Councils Group (SCCG) warmly welcomes the NSW Government’s recent decision to continue funding the Beachwatch Program, a pivotal initiative that monitors water quality across our state’s beloved beaches and swimming spots. This commitment, announced by the Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe, ensures that the program will remain state-funded, safeguarding public health and environmental integrity.

The SCCG has been at the forefront of advocating for the Beachwatch program to remain a fully funded state responsibility. This advocacy was in response to proposed changes that would have shifted the financial burden of water quality monitoring onto local councils – a move that many councils, already facing budget constraints, opposed. The SCCG highlighted that local councils are not legally responsible for monitoring water quality in coastal waters, a responsibility that traditionally falls under state jurisdiction. It also identified that the majority poor beachwatch ratings are also due to sewer leaks, which are not the responsibility of Sydney Councils.

The Beachwatch program is instrumental in providing the public with accurate and timely information about the safety of our swim sites. The collation of long-term monitoring data into the Annual State of the Beaches reports, also enables the health of our swim sites to be tracked and efforts to improve sewer leaks prioritised.

The NSW Government’s decision acknowledges the concerns raised by the SCCG and its member Councils. However, there are still concerns that this backflip is only a temporary reprieve and is urging the NSW Government to rule out future cost-shifting of this vital long term monitoring program for Sydney.

Read the Minister’s media release here.

For more information on Beachwatch, click here.

Future of the NSW Beachwatch Program

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4 June 2025

The SCCG has again written to the NSW Minister for the Environment, urging the State Government to maintain funding for the NSW Beachwatch Program and to respond to our earlier correspondence.

In our May 2025 letter, we reiterated the strong position of our member councils, that Beachwatch must remain a state funded program. Shifting the financial responsibility to local councils risks undermining public health and water quality monitoring at many popular swimming sites from July 2025.

We’re not alone in this call. Environmental advocacy organisations have also pushed for the program to remain publicly funded, recognising its critical role in protecting our coasts and communities.

We are again seeking a formal update from the Minister and call for genuine engagement to identify a sustainable, state-supported future for Beachwatch.

Take Action:
Members of the public can also show support for Beachwatch by writing to the NSW Environment Minister through Surfers for Climate’s website here.

Read the SCCG letter to the Minister for the Environment here.