❓ Question regarding the WA government's plans to support the growth and prosperity of Exmouth, followed by a detailed answer outlining investments in infrastructure and community development.
AnsweredQoN 809Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOWN OF EXMOUTH — FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
809. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the
Minister for Regional Development:
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Member for Mandurah, that question is over.
Mr V.A. CATANIA :
My question is to the Minister for Regional Development —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for West Swan—I call you to order for the second time; the
Leader of the Opposition for the first time; and the Premier for the first
time. Right; that question is finished.
Mr V.A. CATANIA :
Thank you, Mr Speaker, and as I said, my question is to the Minister for
Regional Development.
The town of Exmouth in my electorate is celebrating its
fiftieth anniversary and it is a great pleasure to host the minister in Exmouth
over the weekend. Can the minister please explain what the Liberal–National
government is doing to ensure that Exmouth continues to grow and prosper for
the next 50 years?
809. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the
Minister for Regional Development:
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Member for Mandurah, that question is over.
Mr V.A. CATANIA :
My question is to the Minister for Regional Development —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for West Swan—I call you to order for the second time; the
Leader of the Opposition for the first time; and the Premier for the first
time. Right; that question is finished.
Mr V.A. CATANIA :
Thank you, Mr Speaker, and as I said, my question is to the Minister for
Regional Development.
The town of Exmouth in my electorate is celebrating its
fiftieth anniversary and it is a great pleasure to host the minister in Exmouth
over the weekend. Can the minister please explain what the Liberal–National
government is doing to ensure that Exmouth continues to grow and prosper for
the next 50 years?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for North West Central
for the question. I also thank him for the chance to go to Exmouth on Saturday—I
have not been there for some time; I think I tripped through on a holiday going
back a number of years—to see in more recent times what it has been
through over many years. The recent developmental work that government has been
able to support in that community is fantastic. I do not think Exmouth was
declared a town until the 1960s when the American defence had a footprint of
activity there, which is still there. It was finally declared a town, and since
then it has built on its natural tourism assets—Ningaloo Reef and the
fantastic whale sharks and diving and coastal opportunities that it presents.
There is also a lot of support in the community from the fishing industry. The
ability of the oil and gas sector to offer supply and servicing opportunities
out of Exmouth also offers a level of industry that Exmouth has been able to
capitalise on in recent times. It is only appropriate for such a community,
which has so many natural assets plus a now burgeoning industrial opportunity
out of both the fishing and oil and gas industries, that effort goes into
ensuring the community and the growth of the community—the CBD in
particular—is supported in its development.
As part of the celebrations on
Saturday, we will be able to announce the final opening of Exmouth's
newly redeveloped town centre and foreshore facility. It is an $11 million
project of which $6.8 million came from royalties for regions through the
Gascoyne revitalisation fund and the country local government fund. I will give
members an idea of the activities that have gone on as part of that
transformation. We have realigned some roads to improve traffic flow and
increase parking; we have created more pedestrian areas and safe places for
families to walk; we have put in underground power—so very critical to
an area that is impacted by cyclones; and we have also put in more shaded areas
that are important for such a hot climate. I was able to visit the new water
playground that is part of that facility, and seeing the little kids haring
around in that on a nice sunny day gave me some comfort that it is indeed a
strong community. There are also some new facilities at the town beach separate
from the CBD but important for the locals to utilise the coastal assets that
sit around Exmouth. We also know that in the tourism peak season the population
could double or treble, so ensuring that Exmouth has a CBD that matches the
capacity to take on that level of population and have the tourism, the public
open spaces and the assets there to support it is really important—and
we feel very proud as a government to be part of that development.
The Minister for Transport also gave
me the opportunity to announce a project that he has recently taken through
cabinet and is also supported by royalties for regions. He is announcing the
allocation of $20 million towards an upgrade of the Exmouth boat harbour.
Construction will start next year but that upgrade will include an extra 130 metres
of wharf space allowing the very congested harbour facility the scope to grow
and have a heavy lifting facility to support and service the industrial
activity coming from the oil and gas sector. Through the Minister for
Transport, that is another fantastic announcement supporting a community that
is growing and developing. It is a fantastic community.
I make one point—it is an
observation I made when I was making the announcement with the member for North
West Central—that it was interesting to see the demographic of the
community. It is a very, very young demographic—unusually so. When I
asked about the size of the primary school in the community, I was told it was
quite a substantial school for the population base. No doubt the young
demographic is a significant contributor to that. To have young people prepared
to stay and live and invest in those communities is a fantastic outcome for
regional development. We have been able to support it through another royalties
for regions investment in that community. Along with the member for North West
Central, it was fantastic to be a part of the celebrations that occurred on
Saturday.
for the question. I also thank him for the chance to go to Exmouth on Saturday—I
have not been there for some time; I think I tripped through on a holiday going
back a number of years—to see in more recent times what it has been
through over many years. The recent developmental work that government has been
able to support in that community is fantastic. I do not think Exmouth was
declared a town until the 1960s when the American defence had a footprint of
activity there, which is still there. It was finally declared a town, and since
then it has built on its natural tourism assets—Ningaloo Reef and the
fantastic whale sharks and diving and coastal opportunities that it presents.
There is also a lot of support in the community from the fishing industry. The
ability of the oil and gas sector to offer supply and servicing opportunities
out of Exmouth also offers a level of industry that Exmouth has been able to
capitalise on in recent times. It is only appropriate for such a community,
which has so many natural assets plus a now burgeoning industrial opportunity
out of both the fishing and oil and gas industries, that effort goes into
ensuring the community and the growth of the community—the CBD in
particular—is supported in its development.
As part of the celebrations on
Saturday, we will be able to announce the final opening of Exmouth's
newly redeveloped town centre and foreshore facility. It is an $11 million
project of which $6.8 million came from royalties for regions through the
Gascoyne revitalisation fund and the country local government fund. I will give
members an idea of the activities that have gone on as part of that
transformation. We have realigned some roads to improve traffic flow and
increase parking; we have created more pedestrian areas and safe places for
families to walk; we have put in underground power—so very critical to
an area that is impacted by cyclones; and we have also put in more shaded areas
that are important for such a hot climate. I was able to visit the new water
playground that is part of that facility, and seeing the little kids haring
around in that on a nice sunny day gave me some comfort that it is indeed a
strong community. There are also some new facilities at the town beach separate
from the CBD but important for the locals to utilise the coastal assets that
sit around Exmouth. We also know that in the tourism peak season the population
could double or treble, so ensuring that Exmouth has a CBD that matches the
capacity to take on that level of population and have the tourism, the public
open spaces and the assets there to support it is really important—and
we feel very proud as a government to be part of that development.
The Minister for Transport also gave
me the opportunity to announce a project that he has recently taken through
cabinet and is also supported by royalties for regions. He is announcing the
allocation of $20 million towards an upgrade of the Exmouth boat harbour.
Construction will start next year but that upgrade will include an extra 130 metres
of wharf space allowing the very congested harbour facility the scope to grow
and have a heavy lifting facility to support and service the industrial
activity coming from the oil and gas sector. Through the Minister for
Transport, that is another fantastic announcement supporting a community that
is growing and developing. It is a fantastic community.
I make one point—it is an
observation I made when I was making the announcement with the member for North
West Central—that it was interesting to see the demographic of the
community. It is a very, very young demographic—unusually so. When I
asked about the size of the primary school in the community, I was told it was
quite a substantial school for the population base. No doubt the young
demographic is a significant contributor to that. To have young people prepared
to stay and live and invest in those communities is a fantastic outcome for
regional development. We have been able to support it through another royalties
for regions investment in that community. Along with the member for North West
Central, it was fantastic to be a part of the celebrations that occurred on
Saturday.
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