❓ A parliamentary question regarding bushfire management in Mt Helena and the Minister's decision-making process, raising concerns about resident safety. The exchange devolves into interjections and accusations of ignorance.
AnsweredQoN 45Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PLANNING — BUSHFIRE
MANAGEMENT — MT HELENA
45. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Planning:
I have a supplementary question.
Given this rather unilateral decision that the minister has made against the
good advice of these departments, is she confident that she is not potentially
placing the lives of future residents at risk?
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Tourism!
MANAGEMENT — MT HELENA
45. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Planning:
I have a supplementary question.
Given this rather unilateral decision that the minister has made against the
good advice of these departments, is she confident that she is not potentially
placing the lives of future residents at risk?
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Tourism!
AnswerView source ↗
How about the existing residents?
Mr R.S. Love : Ridiculous.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The existing
residents —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members of the
Nationals WA, it is not a chat fest.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What about
the existing residents in the subdivision adjacent to it? What about them?
Mr D.T. Redman : You're
ignorant of the planning process.
The SPEAKER : Through the
Chair.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Did someone call
someone ignorant then?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, I was
being interjected on by the questioner.
The SPEAKER : Did you withdraw
it?
Mr D.T. Redman : Pardon?
The SPEAKER : I am looking at
the member for Warren–Blackwood.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for North
West Central, someone called the minister ignorant. Does anyone have the
courage after saying that to admit to it?
Mr D.T. Redman : Mr Speaker, I
mentioned ''ignorant of the process''.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The National
Party has no understanding of the suburbs of the hills of Perth—no
understanding whatsoever. If we go through and maybe look at where they live
and where they are next to —
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The western suburbs and the CAT route
does not have a lot of bushfire-prone areas, member. It really is about
balancing —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please.
Minister, you will get to the end of the question.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The reality
is that we have to balance all the needs. As I said, there are homes there now.
This was driven by the community and by the landowners in the area and it is
adjacent to an existing subdivision. If the member wants to go and tell all
those people to move today because it is unsafe, he should do that. He should
go and tell them that he is going to shut their houses and shut the community.
The member should do that.
Mr R.S. Love : You know very
well that's nothing to do with the subdivision approval on this land.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : That is why
we have the new regulations—to make sure the building structures and
all the other access issues are addressed through the structure plan phase.
Mr R.S. Love : Ridiculous.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The existing
residents —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members of the
Nationals WA, it is not a chat fest.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What about
the existing residents in the subdivision adjacent to it? What about them?
Mr D.T. Redman : You're
ignorant of the planning process.
The SPEAKER : Through the
Chair.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Did someone call
someone ignorant then?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, I was
being interjected on by the questioner.
The SPEAKER : Did you withdraw
it?
Mr D.T. Redman : Pardon?
The SPEAKER : I am looking at
the member for Warren–Blackwood.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for North
West Central, someone called the minister ignorant. Does anyone have the
courage after saying that to admit to it?
Mr D.T. Redman : Mr Speaker, I
mentioned ''ignorant of the process''.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The National
Party has no understanding of the suburbs of the hills of Perth—no
understanding whatsoever. If we go through and maybe look at where they live
and where they are next to —
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The western suburbs and the CAT route
does not have a lot of bushfire-prone areas, member. It really is about
balancing —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please.
Minister, you will get to the end of the question.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The reality
is that we have to balance all the needs. As I said, there are homes there now.
This was driven by the community and by the landowners in the area and it is
adjacent to an existing subdivision. If the member wants to go and tell all
those people to move today because it is unsafe, he should do that. He should
go and tell them that he is going to shut their houses and shut the community.
The member should do that.
Mr R.S. Love : You know very
well that's nothing to do with the subdivision approval on this land.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : That is why
we have the new regulations—to make sure the building structures and
all the other access issues are addressed through the structure plan phase.
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