❓ Ms. Collins asks about the Cook Labor government's Perth City Deal and its impact on city revitalisation. The Minister responds positively, highlighting projects and criticising the City of Perth's lack of investment and the Lord Mayor's focus.
AnsweredQoN 881Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CITY DEAL
881. Ms C.M. COLLINS to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
continued revitalisation of Perth city.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's investment in
infrastructure and activation is driving the renewal of Perth city?
(2) Can the minister advise the house whether he is
aware of anyone who is not working to deliver for Perth city?
881. Ms C.M. COLLINS to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
continued revitalisation of Perth city.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's investment in
infrastructure and activation is driving the renewal of Perth city?
(2) Can the minister advise the house whether he is
aware of anyone who is not working to deliver for Perth city?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I thank the member. I am deeply proud that our
state government is driving, leading, the revitalisation and renewal of the Perth city. As members know, I am
the local member and I love our city and am a passionate advocate for
it. We know that the critical part of it is major investment as part of the
Perth City Deal by the state and federal
governments to drive critical infrastructure to bring people into the city and
to have more people live there. That is what we are doing. Think about
the projects we are doing, such as Edith Cowan University city campus, with 9 000 to 10 000 students coming to the city
each day. We have released two major lots that will have major student
accommodation and build-to-rent projects in the heart of the city. We have fixed the mess left by the previous
government at Yagan Square. Site visit statistics show that the new nocturnal development is getting 10 000 to
15 000 visitors a week. We are doing major rejuvenations of the Perth Cultural Centre Precinct to
make it a more liveable and workable place. We are doing the Perth Concert Hall. These are extraordinary things, and the Perth City Deal is a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity .
(2) Members would
have noticed that I mentioned the state and federal governments. The question
says, ''Can the minister advise the
house of anyone who is not helping to advance this cause?'' That is the City of Perth. I have never seen a council
do so little. It is not investing with us in the critical infrastructure . It is a bystander. It does a drone show
here, but it cannot even deliver fairy lights in trees, which was a critical promise—it cannot even do that! It has spent $1.5 million on someone's
artwork rather than dealing with the issues at hand. That is even reflected in
the statistics that show that while our state's economy is booming,
foot traffic is falling under the Lord Mayor's watch. It has fallen in
London Court since COVID and it has fallen in the malls. No wonder we are
seeing this, because we have a Lord Mayor who is paid full time by ratepayers
to focus on the energy of the city, but instead he is focused on the energy of
undermining the Liberal leader. Let us be very clear: as the Lord Mayor, he is
supposed to keep his focus at 100 per cent. He spends more time talking about
his Liberal leader aspirations than the aspirations of the people of Perth, and
this week his energy and focus on polling has been found out.
I
want to put this on the record so it is clear: Cam Sinclair, who has admitted
to doing the polling, ran two mayoral
campaigns from 2020. He is not, as the media currently suggests, a former
campaign manager ; he is on the
campaign committee. What the Lord Mayor says on his focus and energy is this: ''I
knew nothing; it wasn't me.''
Does any Western Australian believe that not once has he spoken to his good
mate , his campaign manager, who was with him a few weeks ago at an
office opening, about polling? This now tests the Liberal leader's
leadership because she knew three weeks ago about the polling and she said this
yesterday, which I thought was insightful: ''We have a right to get the
answers.''
Point of Order
Dr D.J. HONEY : Madam Speaker —
Mr R.R. Whitby interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am waiting for
order, minister!
Dr D.J. HONEY : The minister
has trodden a thin line, but now he is departing well away from the topic of
the original question that was asked.
The SPEAKER : I have been
listening intently to the minister's —
Mr R.H. COOK : Further to that
point of order, Madam Speaker —
The SPEAKER : That is not really required. I have been
listening intently to the minister's answer and I am certainly not
upholding the point of order from the member for Cottesloe. I think the
minister has stuck within the bounds of the question that has been asked.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr J.N. CAREY : Just to be
very clear, as the City of Perth Lord Mayor, he must keep his focus and energy
on supporting the renewal of the city. Instead, a mysterious businessman paid
for the polling, but Basil Zempilas and his good mate and campaign manager
commissioned it. The Leader of the Liberal Party said yesterday, ''We
have to have questions answered about who did the commissioning.'' We
now know who did it: it was Basil Zempilas and Cam Sinclair. Why has the Leader
of the Liberal Party not gone to Basil Zempilas and said, ''Why did you
commission it?'' Basil Zempilas is mocking Western Australians. He
thinks that Western Australians and the voters of Churchlands are mugs—they
are idiots. Someone is lying here. It beggars belief.
The SPEAKER : Minister, just
before you continue, can I just ask you to reflect more on the City of Perth,
because that is what your question is principally about, rather than too much
more broadly.
Mr J.N. CAREY : Sure. The
reality is this. We have a Lord Mayor who is not putting the people of
Churchlands first. He is not putting the people of the City of Perth first. He
is causing chaos and division in the Liberal Party and the leader of the
Liberals is letting him get away with it.
state government is driving, leading, the revitalisation and renewal of the Perth city. As members know, I am
the local member and I love our city and am a passionate advocate for
it. We know that the critical part of it is major investment as part of the
Perth City Deal by the state and federal
governments to drive critical infrastructure to bring people into the city and
to have more people live there. That is what we are doing. Think about
the projects we are doing, such as Edith Cowan University city campus, with 9 000 to 10 000 students coming to the city
each day. We have released two major lots that will have major student
accommodation and build-to-rent projects in the heart of the city. We have fixed the mess left by the previous
government at Yagan Square. Site visit statistics show that the new nocturnal development is getting 10 000 to
15 000 visitors a week. We are doing major rejuvenations of the Perth Cultural Centre Precinct to
make it a more liveable and workable place. We are doing the Perth Concert Hall. These are extraordinary things, and the Perth City Deal is a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity .
(2) Members would
have noticed that I mentioned the state and federal governments. The question
says, ''Can the minister advise the
house of anyone who is not helping to advance this cause?'' That is the City of Perth. I have never seen a council
do so little. It is not investing with us in the critical infrastructure . It is a bystander. It does a drone show
here, but it cannot even deliver fairy lights in trees, which was a critical promise—it cannot even do that! It has spent $1.5 million on someone's
artwork rather than dealing with the issues at hand. That is even reflected in
the statistics that show that while our state's economy is booming,
foot traffic is falling under the Lord Mayor's watch. It has fallen in
London Court since COVID and it has fallen in the malls. No wonder we are
seeing this, because we have a Lord Mayor who is paid full time by ratepayers
to focus on the energy of the city, but instead he is focused on the energy of
undermining the Liberal leader. Let us be very clear: as the Lord Mayor, he is
supposed to keep his focus at 100 per cent. He spends more time talking about
his Liberal leader aspirations than the aspirations of the people of Perth, and
this week his energy and focus on polling has been found out.
I
want to put this on the record so it is clear: Cam Sinclair, who has admitted
to doing the polling, ran two mayoral
campaigns from 2020. He is not, as the media currently suggests, a former
campaign manager ; he is on the
campaign committee. What the Lord Mayor says on his focus and energy is this: ''I
knew nothing; it wasn't me.''
Does any Western Australian believe that not once has he spoken to his good
mate , his campaign manager, who was with him a few weeks ago at an
office opening, about polling? This now tests the Liberal leader's
leadership because she knew three weeks ago about the polling and she said this
yesterday, which I thought was insightful: ''We have a right to get the
answers.''
Point of Order
Dr D.J. HONEY : Madam Speaker —
Mr R.R. Whitby interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am waiting for
order, minister!
Dr D.J. HONEY : The minister
has trodden a thin line, but now he is departing well away from the topic of
the original question that was asked.
The SPEAKER : I have been
listening intently to the minister's —
Mr R.H. COOK : Further to that
point of order, Madam Speaker —
The SPEAKER : That is not really required. I have been
listening intently to the minister's answer and I am certainly not
upholding the point of order from the member for Cottesloe. I think the
minister has stuck within the bounds of the question that has been asked.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr J.N. CAREY : Just to be
very clear, as the City of Perth Lord Mayor, he must keep his focus and energy
on supporting the renewal of the city. Instead, a mysterious businessman paid
for the polling, but Basil Zempilas and his good mate and campaign manager
commissioned it. The Leader of the Liberal Party said yesterday, ''We
have to have questions answered about who did the commissioning.'' We
now know who did it: it was Basil Zempilas and Cam Sinclair. Why has the Leader
of the Liberal Party not gone to Basil Zempilas and said, ''Why did you
commission it?'' Basil Zempilas is mocking Western Australians. He
thinks that Western Australians and the voters of Churchlands are mugs—they
are idiots. Someone is lying here. It beggars belief.
The SPEAKER : Minister, just
before you continue, can I just ask you to reflect more on the City of Perth,
because that is what your question is principally about, rather than too much
more broadly.
Mr J.N. CAREY : Sure. The
reality is this. We have a Lord Mayor who is not putting the people of
Churchlands first. He is not putting the people of the City of Perth first. He
is causing chaos and division in the Liberal Party and the leader of the
Liberals is letting him get away with it.
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