❓ Mr Leary raises concerns about Perth Wildlife Encounters' financial hardship due to the Penguin Island Discovery Centre closure and jetty construction. Tourism WA acknowledges the situation and outlines its response, including communication, consultation with DBCA, and support through existing initiatives.
AnsweredQoN 1788Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to correspondence dated 5 November 2025 from Perth Wildlife Encounters regarding financial hardship arising from the closure of the Penguin Island Discovery Centre and jetty construction impacts, and I ask : (a) Has the Minister or Tourism WA received formal correspondence from Perth Wildlife Encounters advising that the business may enter financial hardship without commercial relief; (b) What action, if any, has been taken by Tourism WA in response to that correspondence; (c) Has Tourism WA consulted with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) regarding the matters raised; (d) Has Tourism WA assessed the economic contribution of Perth Wildlife Encounters to Rockingham, including annual visitation of approximately 130,000–150,000 visitors; (e) Does Tourism WA recognise Perth Wildlife Encounters as a strategic tourism operator within Western Australia; (f) What support mechanisms are available to tourism operators experiencing hardship arising from government decisions or infrastructure constraints; and (g) Has any interim commercial relief, including revised payment terms, fee abatements or deferrals, been offered to Perth Wildlife Encounters?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 March 2026
Responded by
Minister for Tourism
Response time
9 days
Tourism Western Australia advises:
(a) Yes
(b) Tourism Western Australia (Tourism WA) formally responded and has been in communication with Perth Wildlife Encounters to monitor the situation and provide guidance and advice.
(c) Yes
(d-f) While Tourism Western Australia (TWA) does not assess the economic contribution of individual operators, it is noted that Perth Wildlife Encounters plays a role in delivering tourism outcomes for Western Australia. TWA has engaged with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) to ensure coordinated information sharing, support process and progress outcomes, and continues to participate in bimonthly stakeholder meetings, convened by DBCA, with Perth Wildlife Encounters (first established in 2023). TWA has assisted Perth Wildlife Encounter with its efforts to ensure ongoing sustainability, and it is noted that Western Australian tourism operators, including Perth Wildlife Encounters, have the opportunity to engage in key government-led trade initiatives, including the Australian Tourism Exchange and TWA led roadshows.
(a) Yes
(b) Tourism Western Australia (Tourism WA) formally responded and has been in communication with Perth Wildlife Encounters to monitor the situation and provide guidance and advice.
(c) Yes
(d-f) While Tourism Western Australia (TWA) does not assess the economic contribution of individual operators, it is noted that Perth Wildlife Encounters plays a role in delivering tourism outcomes for Western Australia. TWA has engaged with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) to ensure coordinated information sharing, support process and progress outcomes, and continues to participate in bimonthly stakeholder meetings, convened by DBCA, with Perth Wildlife Encounters (first established in 2023). TWA has assisted Perth Wildlife Encounter with its efforts to ensure ongoing sustainability, and it is noted that Western Australian tourism operators, including Perth Wildlife Encounters, have the opportunity to engage in key government-led trade initiatives, including the Australian Tourism Exchange and TWA led roadshows.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.