❓ Opposition questions the Premier's commitment to making Bunbury a second capital city, citing a lack of budgetary allocation for relocating government agencies. The Premier defends the vision but shifts focus to local government structure as a key constraint.
AnsweredQoN 265Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BUNBURY — STATE'S SECOND CAPITAL
CITY
265. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's much vaunted and often
repeated plan to make Bunbury the second capital city of the state, and I quote
—
I am very keen to see Bunbury
become a second capital city and a progressive relocation of at least one of
our major government departments to the Bunbury CBD.
(1) Why has
this government failed to budget for the relocation of at least one major
government agency, as the Premier promised?
(2) Why is not
a single mention of a government agency relocating to Bunbury included in the
budget?
(3) Has the
Premier costed at all moving a major government department to Bunbury?
CITY
265. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's much vaunted and often
repeated plan to make Bunbury the second capital city of the state, and I quote
—
I am very keen to see Bunbury
become a second capital city and a progressive relocation of at least one of
our major government departments to the Bunbury CBD.
(1) Why has
this government failed to budget for the relocation of at least one major
government agency, as the Premier promised?
(2) Why is not
a single mention of a government agency relocating to Bunbury included in the
budget?
(3) Has the
Premier costed at all moving a major government department to Bunbury?
AnswerView source ↗
Obviously we are going to get a preamble relating to Labor's
many and varied election promises.
(1)–(3)
I have always regarded Bunbury as the logical second capital. I have said so
over many years in this house, and I still regard that as what will happen.
Indeed the infrastructure around Bunbury is good; it has a port, a university,
a hospital and so on. Indeed some new roadworks around that area will add to
that. I do not know that it is appropriate to actually transfer a government
department, as I imagine the Labor Party is talking about. The Liberal–National
government does have some very significant plans for Bunbury.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Are they secret ones?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, they are; they
are secret from you, member for Midland.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Don't be
nasty! Come on, try to be nice!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am nice.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : That is something that we will work on, and we will make
announcements about Bunbury when it suits us. I can say that the biggest
constraint for Bunbury, which the member for Bunbury has been talking about in
this house for some time, is the lack of a greater Bunbury local government.
That is what is holding Bunbury back—without any doubt at all.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The city boundary is now the old town centre, essentially—a very small
geographic area—yet Bunbury is a very strategic location in this state.
I think, member for Bunbury, there are four surrounding shires.
Mr G.M. Castrilli :
Yes.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There are four surrounding shires, each of which goes into what is by any
measure urban Bunbury. That is the problem.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Oh, not you!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am guilty of many things, but not everything.
many and varied election promises.
(1)–(3)
I have always regarded Bunbury as the logical second capital. I have said so
over many years in this house, and I still regard that as what will happen.
Indeed the infrastructure around Bunbury is good; it has a port, a university,
a hospital and so on. Indeed some new roadworks around that area will add to
that. I do not know that it is appropriate to actually transfer a government
department, as I imagine the Labor Party is talking about. The Liberal–National
government does have some very significant plans for Bunbury.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Are they secret ones?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, they are; they
are secret from you, member for Midland.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Don't be
nasty! Come on, try to be nice!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am nice.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : That is something that we will work on, and we will make
announcements about Bunbury when it suits us. I can say that the biggest
constraint for Bunbury, which the member for Bunbury has been talking about in
this house for some time, is the lack of a greater Bunbury local government.
That is what is holding Bunbury back—without any doubt at all.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The city boundary is now the old town centre, essentially—a very small
geographic area—yet Bunbury is a very strategic location in this state.
I think, member for Bunbury, there are four surrounding shires.
Mr G.M. Castrilli :
Yes.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There are four surrounding shires, each of which goes into what is by any
measure urban Bunbury. That is the problem.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Oh, not you!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am guilty of many things, but not everything.
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