Dan Jervis-Bardy Weekly Times Inner City

JET skis will again be banned from the Henley Beach foreshore after Charles Sturt Council agreed to take legal responsibility for the exclusion zone.

In a further twist to a five-month saga, councillors this week voted eight to seven to reapply for a licence to ban jet skis and motor boats coming within 200m of the foreshore between the Torrens Outlet and Grange.

Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan said he was pleased the council “had put its ratepayers and beachgoers first by taking this decision”.

Old debate: This picture of a jet ski at Henley Beach was taken by The Advertiser in 1986.Source:News Corp Australia

The new application will not include a clause that required the State Government to indemnify Charles Sturt ratepayers from legal claims resulting from accidents in the area — the condition Mr Mullighan this month labelled “irrelevant and unnecessary” before he rejected the council’s previous application.

However, councillors did vote to ask Mr Mullighan to arrange a permanent exclusion zone between Henley and Grange for future summers.

Henley Ward Councillor Jassmine Wood, who called for the vote, said she had been “inundated” with letters and phone calls from concerns residents since the ban, in place for the last two summers, was not implemented this month.

“This is about safety,” Cr Wood told this week’s council meeting. I do not have anything against jet skis — I’m happy for them to ride at West Beach — but Henley is a family beach.”

Cr Woods’ fellow Henley Ward councillor, Bob Randall, opposed the decision and was unhappy Charles Sturt ratepayers would be exposed to the legal risk brought on by the licence.

Charles Sturt Mayor Angela Evans described the council’s application as a temporary solution, and said it was imperative both parties now worked to find a “permanent arrangement which will meet the needs of our community”.

Mr Mullighan said the council’s application would be approved within 72 hours from when he received it.

He said he had already told the council he would work toward finding a more permanent solution to managing jet skis and motor boats between Henley and Grange, such as through government regulation.