❓ Opposition questions Premier Barnett about inconsistencies in his statements regarding a road reservation affecting his property on Stirling Highway. Barnett defends his actions, accuses the opposition of orchestrating a media attack, and clarifies the history and impact of the reservation changes.
AnsweredQoN 853Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STIRLING HIGHWAY RESERVATION — PREMIER'S
PROPERTY
853. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
personal explanation of Tuesday, 11 October this year concerning a 53-year-old
Stirling Highway road reservation and the following statement, which I quote —
� there was a road reservation that
went, basically � through our lounge room. That was subsequently changed, and
there was no reservation across our property. In the most recent change, in the
last two years, that reservation was in part reinstated.
(1) Can the
Premier confirm that this is not the case and that an amendment to the
53-year-old reservation was first introduced in May this year and will in fact
substantially reduce the reservation over his property?
(2) If the
Premier accepts that, why has he not corrected the record at his earliest
opportunity?
PROPERTY
853. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
personal explanation of Tuesday, 11 October this year concerning a 53-year-old
Stirling Highway road reservation and the following statement, which I quote —
� there was a road reservation that
went, basically � through our lounge room. That was subsequently changed, and
there was no reservation across our property. In the most recent change, in the
last two years, that reservation was in part reinstated.
(1) Can the
Premier confirm that this is not the case and that an amendment to the
53-year-old reservation was first introduced in May this year and will in fact
substantially reduce the reservation over his property?
(2) If the
Premier accepts that, why has he not corrected the record at his earliest
opportunity?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
There have been a few questions asked about this in the upper house, and,
indeed, I read a pretty ordinary article in The Sunday Times , so I am glad the member
asked the question.
Mr P.B. Watson : Which one?
The SPEAKER : That is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We could choose a few, I suppose, but one in particular. It was inspired by the
Labor Party. This was not a bit of independent journalism; this was so-called
information fed from the Leader of the Opposition's office, so let us
be very clear about that. This was not a spontaneous bit of journalism; this
was fed from the Leader of the Opposition's office.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, I mean it is —
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Butler.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let us be very clear where this came from.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the question.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
Tell the truth for a change.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough, member for Cannington.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When the so-called issue was raised—because I do not think there is an
issue —
Ms M.M. Quirk : You
never do.
The SPEAKER : That is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why do you not listen?
The SPEAKER : Through the Chair.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : My wife and I bought the house probably 15
years ago. When we purchased it and were about to settle on it and saw the
title, we noticed that there was a reservation through the property, in fact
through the house. We queried that and it was confirmed, but we decided, in
full knowledge, to proceed with the purchase, knowing the reservation was
there. As I think the member for Victoria Park said, the road reserve along
Stirling Highway has been in place since 1963. Our house is a 1928 house.
Originally, its address and title were probably on Stirling Highway. It is now
in a cul-de-sac, so the address is now Wilson Street. That has happened over
the last 50 or 60 years.
In 2005 or 2006, I think,
Planning and Transport started the process of looking at the reservation right
along Stirling Highway. It was a normal planning process. I had constituents
contact me about it. Lyn and I took no action with respect to our own home; we
were completely unfazed by it all. We had a reserve through. A draft was put
out that, incidentally, showed that the reserve was no longer on our house; I simply
happened to look at the map when I was answering questions from constituents
who were affected. That was not the final reservation. When the final
reservation was put in place, a reserve remained on our house, as it has always
been; however, it was a lesser reserve. Just for the interest of members
opposite, because I can guess what the supplementary question is going to be,
there are roughly 1 500 properties along Stirling Highway from Nedlands,
including our house. Of those 1 500 properties—at the moment, and
presumably since 1963—675 have a reserve across them; they are
impacted. Under the final proposed amendment, of those, roughly 600 will have
the reserve lifted off their property because the road reserve has been
narrowed from 80 metres, down by 40 per cent. The reserve has been narrowed and
if the amendment passes, of the 1 500 properties that had a reserve through
them, 600 will have no reservation. Of the 76 that will still have a reserve,
our property is one of them. Lyn and I are in the minority; our property still
has a reserve through it. When a list of properties where a reserve still
applied was provided to the Minister for Planning's office, it did not
include my property as still having a reserve. That was an error, I suspect,
because our address probably changed from Stirling Highway to Wilson Street,
the house being on a corner. But it was not the only property omitted; there
were 25 omitted, of which ours was one. At no stage have I made any
representation to the current planning minister or the former minister about a reservation
through our property and, indeed, because it did go past our property, when the
matter was discussed in cabinet, I left the room. That is an example of
propriety in government—something the Labor Party should listen to.
There have been a few questions asked about this in the upper house, and,
indeed, I read a pretty ordinary article in The Sunday Times , so I am glad the member
asked the question.
Mr P.B. Watson : Which one?
The SPEAKER : That is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We could choose a few, I suppose, but one in particular. It was inspired by the
Labor Party. This was not a bit of independent journalism; this was so-called
information fed from the Leader of the Opposition's office, so let us
be very clear about that. This was not a spontaneous bit of journalism; this
was fed from the Leader of the Opposition's office.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, I mean it is —
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Butler.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Let us be very clear where this came from.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the question.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
Tell the truth for a change.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough, member for Cannington.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When the so-called issue was raised—because I do not think there is an
issue —
Ms M.M. Quirk : You
never do.
The SPEAKER : That is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why do you not listen?
The SPEAKER : Through the Chair.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : My wife and I bought the house probably 15
years ago. When we purchased it and were about to settle on it and saw the
title, we noticed that there was a reservation through the property, in fact
through the house. We queried that and it was confirmed, but we decided, in
full knowledge, to proceed with the purchase, knowing the reservation was
there. As I think the member for Victoria Park said, the road reserve along
Stirling Highway has been in place since 1963. Our house is a 1928 house.
Originally, its address and title were probably on Stirling Highway. It is now
in a cul-de-sac, so the address is now Wilson Street. That has happened over
the last 50 or 60 years.
In 2005 or 2006, I think,
Planning and Transport started the process of looking at the reservation right
along Stirling Highway. It was a normal planning process. I had constituents
contact me about it. Lyn and I took no action with respect to our own home; we
were completely unfazed by it all. We had a reserve through. A draft was put
out that, incidentally, showed that the reserve was no longer on our house; I simply
happened to look at the map when I was answering questions from constituents
who were affected. That was not the final reservation. When the final
reservation was put in place, a reserve remained on our house, as it has always
been; however, it was a lesser reserve. Just for the interest of members
opposite, because I can guess what the supplementary question is going to be,
there are roughly 1 500 properties along Stirling Highway from Nedlands,
including our house. Of those 1 500 properties—at the moment, and
presumably since 1963—675 have a reserve across them; they are
impacted. Under the final proposed amendment, of those, roughly 600 will have
the reserve lifted off their property because the road reserve has been
narrowed from 80 metres, down by 40 per cent. The reserve has been narrowed and
if the amendment passes, of the 1 500 properties that had a reserve through
them, 600 will have no reservation. Of the 76 that will still have a reserve,
our property is one of them. Lyn and I are in the minority; our property still
has a reserve through it. When a list of properties where a reserve still
applied was provided to the Minister for Planning's office, it did not
include my property as still having a reserve. That was an error, I suspect,
because our address probably changed from Stirling Highway to Wilson Street,
the house being on a corner. But it was not the only property omitted; there
were 25 omitted, of which ours was one. At no stage have I made any
representation to the current planning minister or the former minister about a reservation
through our property and, indeed, because it did go past our property, when the
matter was discussed in cabinet, I left the room. That is an example of
propriety in government—something the Labor Party should listen to.
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