❓ Opposition MP Wyatt questions Premier Barnett's claim about the cost of providing services to remote Aboriginal communities, seeking comparative data from various WA towns. The Premier deflects, stating no closure decision has been made and directing the question to the Housing Minister regarding RAESP.
AnsweredQoN 3231Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Premier Barnett’s decision announced on 11 November to close up to 150 remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia and his statement that the cost of providing municipal or essential services to one of these communities works out at $85,000 per person per year, and I ask: (a) what was the cost of providing essential and municipal services, to the following towns for the financial year ending June 30 2014: (i) Yalgoo; (ii) Arrino; (iii) Sandstone; (iv) Latham; (v) Coorow; (vi) Paynes Find; (vii) Maya; (viii) Beverly; (ix) Beacon; (x) Bencubbin; (xi) Tammin; (xii) Wubin; (xiii) Nungarin; (xiv) Gilderton; (xv) Trayning; (xvi) Marvel Loch; (xvii) Seabird; (xviii) Hines Hill; (xix) Doodlakine; (xx) Eucla ; (xxi) Cascade; (xxii) Menzies; (xxiii) Manmanning; (xxiv) Pingaring; (xxv) Bonnie Rock; (xxvi) Kununoppin; (xxvii) Gascoyne Junction; (xxviii) Burringurrah; (xxix) Canna; (xxx) Koolanooka; (xxxi) Coorow; (xxxii) Marchagee; (xxxiii) Benjaberring; (xxxiv) Korrelocking; (xxxv) Yealering; (xxxvi) Calingiri; (xxxvii) Trayning; (xxxviii) Yelbeni; (xxxix) Bejoording; (xl) Bungulla; (xli) Yorkrakine; (xlii) Pantapin; (xliii) Aldersyde; (xliv) South Kumminin; (xlv) Gabbin; (xlvi) Wialki; (xlvii) Muntadgin; (xlviii) Kulja; (xlix) Karlgarin; (l) Jennacubbine; (li) Wubin; (lii) Popanyinning; (liii) BIlbarin; (liv) Bullaring; (lv) Ardath; (lvi) Babakin; (lvii) Kwolyin; and, (lviii) Shackleton; and (b) what was the average cost per resident of providing essential and municipal services to the localities listed in (a), for the financial year ending 30 June 2014?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 February 2015
Response time
84 days
No decision has been made about the closure of any remote Aboriginal communities.
The $85,000 figure which I used in a radio interview on 13/11/14 refers to Oombulgurri. That figure is for 2009-10 when the State Government spent $3.9 million in Oombulgurri. This funding includes spending on State Government services such as a police station, a school, a health clinic and an administrative centre as well as funding from the State Government's Remote Areas Essential Service Program (RAESP) to provide ongoing maintenance for essential services such as power, water and wastewater.
The Minister for Housing is responsible for the Remote Area Essential Services Program (RAESP) so please direct your question to that portfolio.
The $85,000 figure which I used in a radio interview on 13/11/14 refers to Oombulgurri. That figure is for 2009-10 when the State Government spent $3.9 million in Oombulgurri. This funding includes spending on State Government services such as a police station, a school, a health clinic and an administrative centre as well as funding from the State Government's Remote Areas Essential Service Program (RAESP) to provide ongoing maintenance for essential services such as power, water and wastewater.
The Minister for Housing is responsible for the Remote Area Essential Services Program (RAESP) so please direct your question to that portfolio.
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