❓ Mr. Rundle questions the Minister for Heritage about the demolition of the Esperance Tanker Jetty. The Minister defends the decision, citing the jetty's deterioration and the previous government's inaction, while highlighting plans for a replacement structure.
AnsweredQoN 548Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ESPERANCE TANKER JETTY — DEMOLITION
548. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Heritage:
I acknowledge the students and staff
of Tambellup Primary School, who are up there in the public gallery. It is a great
school in the electorate of Roe. I also acknowledge Hon ''Tuck''
Waldron, former member for Wagin. It is great to see both ex-members for my
seat of Roe here twice in two days.
I refer to the minister's
signing of a section 64 notice for the demolition of the 85-year-old
heritage-listed Esperance tanker jetty.
(1) Is the
minister comfortable in the knowledge that he will be forever known as the
minister who signed the death warrant for one of Western Australia's
last remaining timber jetties?
(2) Is the minister aware of anyone within the McGowan
cabinet who does not support the demolition of the jetty?
548. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Heritage:
I acknowledge the students and staff
of Tambellup Primary School, who are up there in the public gallery. It is a great
school in the electorate of Roe. I also acknowledge Hon ''Tuck''
Waldron, former member for Wagin. It is great to see both ex-members for my
seat of Roe here twice in two days.
I refer to the minister's
signing of a section 64 notice for the demolition of the 85-year-old
heritage-listed Esperance tanker jetty.
(1) Is the
minister comfortable in the knowledge that he will be forever known as the
minister who signed the death warrant for one of Western Australia's
last remaining timber jetties?
(2) Is the minister aware of anyone within the McGowan
cabinet who does not support the demolition of the jetty?
AnswerView source ↗
I am very happy to answer the
question.
(1)–(2) The Eighty Mile
jetty —
Mr P.J. Rundle : No, that's
in Carnarvon.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : Sorry, the
tanker jetty in Esperance.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : If we are
talking about the Carnarvon jetty, we would ask —
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood,
you have done it again. I am on my feet. Minister, through the Chair, please.
The Chair is here, minister!
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : It is
unnatural for me to do this!
If we are talking about the
Carnarvon jetty, I wonder, with great wonderment, where ''Walker''
is. Where is he? The member's friend, who sits next to him?
Mr P.J. Rundle : Let's
worry about Esperance.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : Where is
he? He had some questions, but he is obviously unwell!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear the minister.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In all
seriousness, the tanker jetty in Esperance is an iconic part of the history of
Esperance; there is no doubt about that. Indeed, it is one of a number of
timber jetties that have been part of the history of Western Australia, and
many of them no longer exist, as the member is well aware. During the tenure of
the previous government, although the issue of the tanker jetty was of some
ongoing concern for that community, I do not recall any commitment being made
by the member's party or indeed by him in government to do anything
about it. What happened, of course, was that the jetty continued to decay and
fall into the sea, and that is very sad. It is perhaps an indictment on the
member and his party for doing nothing about it.
Due to agitation from me as shadow heritage spokesperson at
that time, the then Minister for Heritage put a conservation order on that
jetty, which was deteriorating particularly under the previous government's
tenure. That conservation order involved certain requirements of the local
shire. I know this has been a polarising issue for many people in that
community, and I pay tribute to the jetty group, which has passionately
advocated for a replacement jetty in its current wooden form. The reality is
that there was no commitment made by the previous government in terms of
dollars in the lead-up to the last election, and, indeed, the jetty continued
to deteriorate. The local government went through a process of focusing on
securing federal funding, and that has been secured. It has some time
parameters attached to it, so we are mindful of that. Secondly, we ultimately
want an outcome that delivers a feature that the local community can be proud
of, a tourism outcome and a heritage outcome.
Through all of that process, the
Shire of Esperance voted to take ownership of the jetty and, in collaboration
and through discussions with the Heritage Council, it came up with a design
that, I understand, went out to public comment and was favourably received in
respect of the large percentage of people who demonstrated support for it. The
section 64 notice that I have imposed is an important part of the process that
will allow for reconstruction of the
structure. However, it also imposes a series of important conditions that will
need to be adhered to by the shire.
Ultimately, member, I want an
outcome that is positive for tourism in the area and that delivers a jetty that
can be used for recreational purposes and that reflects and interprets the heritage
of its predecessor. I think that would be a great outcome. If the member had
acted earlier, perhaps there may have been issues around its reconstruction,
but he will be well aware that the current structure has deteriorated to the
stage at which sections of it continue to fall into the ocean. This process
will now deliver an outcome that I think the people of Esperance will
ultimately be proud of and that will, indeed, attract people from around
Australia to look at when they visit the region.
question.
(1)–(2) The Eighty Mile
jetty —
Mr P.J. Rundle : No, that's
in Carnarvon.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : Sorry, the
tanker jetty in Esperance.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : If we are
talking about the Carnarvon jetty, we would ask —
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood,
you have done it again. I am on my feet. Minister, through the Chair, please.
The Chair is here, minister!
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : It is
unnatural for me to do this!
If we are talking about the
Carnarvon jetty, I wonder, with great wonderment, where ''Walker''
is. Where is he? The member's friend, who sits next to him?
Mr P.J. Rundle : Let's
worry about Esperance.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : Where is
he? He had some questions, but he is obviously unwell!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear the minister.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : In all
seriousness, the tanker jetty in Esperance is an iconic part of the history of
Esperance; there is no doubt about that. Indeed, it is one of a number of
timber jetties that have been part of the history of Western Australia, and
many of them no longer exist, as the member is well aware. During the tenure of
the previous government, although the issue of the tanker jetty was of some
ongoing concern for that community, I do not recall any commitment being made
by the member's party or indeed by him in government to do anything
about it. What happened, of course, was that the jetty continued to decay and
fall into the sea, and that is very sad. It is perhaps an indictment on the
member and his party for doing nothing about it.
Due to agitation from me as shadow heritage spokesperson at
that time, the then Minister for Heritage put a conservation order on that
jetty, which was deteriorating particularly under the previous government's
tenure. That conservation order involved certain requirements of the local
shire. I know this has been a polarising issue for many people in that
community, and I pay tribute to the jetty group, which has passionately
advocated for a replacement jetty in its current wooden form. The reality is
that there was no commitment made by the previous government in terms of
dollars in the lead-up to the last election, and, indeed, the jetty continued
to deteriorate. The local government went through a process of focusing on
securing federal funding, and that has been secured. It has some time
parameters attached to it, so we are mindful of that. Secondly, we ultimately
want an outcome that delivers a feature that the local community can be proud
of, a tourism outcome and a heritage outcome.
Through all of that process, the
Shire of Esperance voted to take ownership of the jetty and, in collaboration
and through discussions with the Heritage Council, it came up with a design
that, I understand, went out to public comment and was favourably received in
respect of the large percentage of people who demonstrated support for it. The
section 64 notice that I have imposed is an important part of the process that
will allow for reconstruction of the
structure. However, it also imposes a series of important conditions that will
need to be adhered to by the shire.
Ultimately, member, I want an
outcome that is positive for tourism in the area and that delivers a jetty that
can be used for recreational purposes and that reflects and interprets the heritage
of its predecessor. I think that would be a great outcome. If the member had
acted earlier, perhaps there may have been issues around its reconstruction,
but he will be well aware that the current structure has deteriorated to the
stage at which sections of it continue to fall into the ocean. This process
will now deliver an outcome that I think the people of Esperance will
ultimately be proud of and that will, indeed, attract people from around
Australia to look at when they visit the region.
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