❓ Minister MacTiernan expresses serious concerns about the Town of Cambridge's handling of the AK Reserve redevelopment, hinting at potential state government intervention due to the council's dysfunction and delays.
AnsweredQoN 342Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the article in today’s The West Australian regarding the latest decision of the Town of Cambridge to dump its development partner and undertake the development of the new sporting facilities at the AK Reserve on its own. (1) Does the minister believe that the Town of Cambridge has the expertise and experience to develop these sporting facilities? (2) What role does the minister expect the state government will take in the redevelopment? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
(1) Does the minister believe that the Town of Cambridge has the expertise and experience to develop these sporting facilities? (2) What role does the minister expect the state government will take in the redevelopment? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
(2) What role does the minister expect the state government will take in the redevelopment? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
(1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
(1) Does the minister believe that the Town of Cambridge has the expertise and experience to develop these sporting facilities? (2) What role does the minister expect the state government will take in the redevelopment? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
(2) What role does the minister expect the state government will take in the redevelopment? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
(1)-(2) A number of members on that side of the house and, indeed, this side of the house have had grave concerns about the shenanigans at the Town of Cambridge. The replacement of the Perry Lakes stadium has been under discussion and negotiation since 1998. When we first came to government, we were approached by the Town of Cambridge to change the metropolitan region scheme to move this area out of public purposes recreation so that it could undertake a residential development on that site. Out of the very considerable proceeds and financial benefit that would accrue to the Town of Cambridge from that, it undertook to provide replacement facilities for athletics, basketball and rugby. This negotiation has been going on for four years. The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
The council decided on the particular approach of going out to tender. It went through an entire tender process. I understand that a number of companies put hundreds of thousands of dollars into developing these tenders. They were conforming tenders. A third proponent was selected and when, after four years, the final crunch time came to actually make a decision whether to proceed down this path, the council was unable to decide. After knocking it back, deferring it, saying it would not do it and then saying it would do it, the dominant faction on the council, without any consultation whatsoever with the officers, decided, at the eleventh hour - at five minutes to six - to come up with an entirely new proposal. It is an interesting proposal that, I understand, is predicated on the state government lending it $40 million to do it. This would always be an extremely difficult project for local government to complete. Given that the local government is very much divided into two camps and that there is a dysfunctional relationship between the officers and the dominant faction of council, it is inconceivable that the council will be able to bring such a complex project to fruition. In the meantime, the athletics community of Western Australia does not have an adequate facility. As a state government, we cannot allow that situation to remain. After the break-up of the City of Perth, it was a grave mistake to give the Town of Cambridge the care and custody of that facility. Mr N.R. Marlborough : Maybe it was a great mistake to create the Town of Cambridge. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Maybe it was. Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Mr N.R. Marlborough interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am sure that the member for Peel will allow me to complete this answer. We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
We cannot allow this matter to thrash around for another four years because athletics, rugby and basketball will continue to be caught in the crossfire. We will make one further proposal to the Town of Cambridge to determine whether we can progress this issue. If that cannot be done, the state government must consider taking over that project.
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