At least a dozen "Authorities" presently have an input into the management of Port Stephens waterways. Many of these bodies conflict and overlap. For example, if you have a valid complaint such as water pollution, you can be shuttled from one to another and can even end up referred back to the entity to which you made the original submission! I guess you may have had this experience as have I. A control plan such as that envisaged by the "Report" seems to be an impossibility for the two Councils concerned as it will require an overall input by people such as civil and marine engineers, surveyors, waterfront construction, hydrologists , pollution control and many other related disciplines. Surely an overall control body is called for ie a "Port Stephens Harbour Authority" or some such. This body should be able to confer with and if necessary, override existing empowered entities for the purposes of implementing an orderly maintenance of and control over these unique waters. It could be comprised of a top flight 'board' drawn from say State & local government, marine biology, fisheries, engineering, water pollution, national parks &/or forestry etc etc and should ideally include representatives from the private sector. Such an "Authority" would be directly accountable to the State Government. It is my belief that this is the only way to go because the two Councils concerned would not be capable of taking on work of this magnitude and should better concentrate on their original land based responsibilities. 

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