Stockton Beach is disappearing even quicker than the experts predicted.
Minutes of the last Deputy Premier's taskforce meeting from mid-2022 reveal that the beach's five year recession targets have already been breached.
"The Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP) had adopted a five-year planning horizon. Current aerial footage shows that the five-year adopted recession threshold had been breached at several locations and are ahead of the projected rate of recession," the minutes say.
But as the erosion accelerates, the bickering over the long-term solution for the beach grows louder.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole fired the latest salvo this week when he accused City of Newcastle of hindering the beach's restoration through its refusal to take responsibility for an offshore dredging project that is considered to be the most viable way of renourishing the beach.
"I believe the council should hold the mining lease and I have made that clear in the meetings that we have had," Mr Toole said.
"Whilst the council is stopping the project from going ahead, it is actually the community that is suffering from this impasse that we are seeing being played out."
The taskforce, established by former Nationals Leader John Barilaro, last met in June 2022. Mr Toole is yet to announce when the taskforce will meet again.
City of Newcastle has remained steadfast in its argument that the beach is the property of the state government and it is merely the manager of the Crown Land. In addition, it argues that the state's infrastructure (Stockton Breakwall) is the primary cause of erosion in the area.
The council also points out that it has invested $9.5million into the repair of Stockton Beach since the adoption of its Coastal Management Plan in 2020. It has also committed $27.5million to long-term protection works.
The collaborative project included City of Newcastle committing $1.5 million and the federal government providing $4.7 million in response to a grant application by the NSW government.
It's all too much for despairing locals who are begging for leadership and action before it's too late.
"We are all extremely frustrated; it's just been one thing after the next," Stockton Community Group co-president Melanie Taggart said.
"The CMP process hasn't bought us anything apart from band aids, we're still waiting for mass sand nourishment, which is just going round in circles with bickering between the state government and the council.
"Ultimately, it's the infrastructure (Stockton breakwall) that has caused this problem which has caused this problem, so the state government has to step up and fix the problem that they have caused."
The taskforce minutes also reveal there are two options for a dredging licence. The first is a retention licence that would secure the area for further exploration and could be used as an interim step as it provides an option up to five years.
The other is a mining licence that would provide security and certainty up to 21 years, however, the application process is significantly more involved.
The minutes confirm the cost of mass nourishment is estimated to be $21 million with ongoing maintenance costs of approximately $500,000 per annum.
The figure does not include actions that may be necessary following storm events.
Ms Taggart said the community was eagerly awaiting to see details of Labor's policy for Stockton Beach.
"We have invited (Newcastle Labor MP) Tim Crakanthorp to our February meeting in the hope that he will announce the policy. We have also invited the Greens and we haven't heard back from the Liberals," Ms Taggart said.
"We believe it's a viable option and a good way of funding mass sand renourishment. We hope the other parties look at what they (the Greens) are doing," Ms Taggart said.
Labor this week ruled out imposing a coal levy to pay for Stockton Beach.
Ms Taggart confirmed another Stockton community rally would be held in the lead-up to the March 25 election.
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