❓ Mr. Huston questions the management and funding of the Sunset Heritage Precinct, citing building deterioration and transparency concerns. The Minister provides detailed financial breakdowns and affirms commitment to the site's legislated purpose and community use.
AnsweredQoN 515Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to ongoing concerns regarding the management, funding arrangements, maintenance, and continued community use of the Sunset Heritage Precinct. Noting repeated reports of building deterioration at the site and questions regarding transparency of the Trust Account, and I ask : (a) The Sunset Heritage Trust Account holds funds received for operating the Sunset Heritage Properties. Noting that the opening balance for 2024–25 was $915,000: (i) Please provide a detailed breakdown of all receipts, appropriations, and payments from this account for each of the previous five financial years; and (ii) For the 2025–26 budget, please detail the expected receipts, appropriations, and payments, and explain the apparent halving of receipts as noted in the 2025–26 budget papers; (b) For each of the above financial years, including the 2025–26 budget year, specify the amounts allocated or spent on landscaping and building maintenance, respectively; (c) It has been widely reported that building maintenance at the Precinct has been minimal, with visible deterioration evident. Has the Minister inspected the site to assess the current condition of the buildings; and (d) How is funding from the Sunset Heritage Trust Account being used to advance the objectives set out in the Sunset Heritage Precinct Management Plan, especially regarding: (i) Site occupancy by organisations delivering community cultural activities; and (ii) Ensuring such activities are in line with the legislated purpose of the precinct?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2025
Responded by
Minister for Heritage
Response time
8 days
(a)
(i) Receipts, appropriations and payments relating to the Sunset Trust account for the past five years:
Sunset breakdown
2020-21 $'000
2021-22 $'000
2022-23 $'000
2023-24 $'000
2024-25 $'000
Appropriations
Appropriation - Recurrent Funding
235
235
235
235
235
Appropriation – Other Funding
0
0
617
0
365
Appropriations Total
235
235
852
235
600
Receipts
Rental Receipts
0
0
11
4
0
Outgoing recoups
28
9
1
0
0
Receipt Total
28
9
12
4
0
Payments
Landscaping
77
95
155
131
113
Building Maintenance
93
114
198
172
82
Cleaning
20
20
26
20
22
Security
120
166
282
257
235
Utilities
52
38
36
30
26
Waste Disposal
3
7
1
3
3
Conservation Plan and BCA
0
0
287
8
0
Property Management & Professional Fees
44
10
15
18
15
Payment Total
409
450
1,000
639
496
(ii) Estimated 2025-26 receipts, appropriations and payments relating to the Sunset Trust account.
Sunset budget
2025-26 $'000
Appropriations
Appropriation - Recurrent Funding
235
Appropriations Total
235
Receipts
Receipts
0
Receipts Total
0
Payment
Payment (incl. Landscaping, Building Maintenance, Cleaning, Security, Utilities, Waste Disposal and Property Management and Professional Fees)
788
Payment Total
788
The appropriation for 2025-26 is the same level of recurrent funding allocated in past years. There were no receipts (income) in 2024-25 and none expected in 2025-26.
(b)
Sunset grounds and building maintenance
2020-21 $'000 (Actual)
2021-22 $'000 (Actual)
2022-23 $'000 (Actual)
2023-24 $'000 (Actual)
2024-25 $'000 (Actual)
2025-26 $'000 (Budget)
Landscaping (excludes waste removal, cleaning, security)
77
95
155
131
113
125
Building Maintenance
93
114
199
172
82
85
Total
170
209
354
303
195
210
(c)
Yes. CITS is responsible for maintenance and property management, including security, property surveillance and for inspecting the condition and safety of buildings and trees to support public safety.
(d)
(i) Funding from the Trust account is allocated to the maintenance of the heritage buildings and grounds management. Consistent with the Sunset Transformation Act 2014 , the Government will consider options for use of the site, with a special focus on potential activation through culture, arts, recreation and community uses.
(ii) All allocated funding supports the legislated use of the site, including supporting community access to the landscaped area for recreation purposes.
(i) Receipts, appropriations and payments relating to the Sunset Trust account for the past five years:
Sunset breakdown
2020-21 $'000
2021-22 $'000
2022-23 $'000
2023-24 $'000
2024-25 $'000
Appropriations
Appropriation - Recurrent Funding
235
235
235
235
235
Appropriation – Other Funding
0
0
617
0
365
Appropriations Total
235
235
852
235
600
Receipts
Rental Receipts
0
0
11
4
0
Outgoing recoups
28
9
1
0
0
Receipt Total
28
9
12
4
0
Payments
Landscaping
77
95
155
131
113
Building Maintenance
93
114
198
172
82
Cleaning
20
20
26
20
22
Security
120
166
282
257
235
Utilities
52
38
36
30
26
Waste Disposal
3
7
1
3
3
Conservation Plan and BCA
0
0
287
8
0
Property Management & Professional Fees
44
10
15
18
15
Payment Total
409
450
1,000
639
496
(ii) Estimated 2025-26 receipts, appropriations and payments relating to the Sunset Trust account.
Sunset budget
2025-26 $'000
Appropriations
Appropriation - Recurrent Funding
235
Appropriations Total
235
Receipts
Receipts
0
Receipts Total
0
Payment
Payment (incl. Landscaping, Building Maintenance, Cleaning, Security, Utilities, Waste Disposal and Property Management and Professional Fees)
788
Payment Total
788
The appropriation for 2025-26 is the same level of recurrent funding allocated in past years. There were no receipts (income) in 2024-25 and none expected in 2025-26.
(b)
Sunset grounds and building maintenance
2020-21 $'000 (Actual)
2021-22 $'000 (Actual)
2022-23 $'000 (Actual)
2023-24 $'000 (Actual)
2024-25 $'000 (Actual)
2025-26 $'000 (Budget)
Landscaping (excludes waste removal, cleaning, security)
77
95
155
131
113
125
Building Maintenance
93
114
199
172
82
85
Total
170
209
354
303
195
210
(c)
Yes. CITS is responsible for maintenance and property management, including security, property surveillance and for inspecting the condition and safety of buildings and trees to support public safety.
(d)
(i) Funding from the Trust account is allocated to the maintenance of the heritage buildings and grounds management. Consistent with the Sunset Transformation Act 2014 , the Government will consider options for use of the site, with a special focus on potential activation through culture, arts, recreation and community uses.
(ii) All allocated funding supports the legislated use of the site, including supporting community access to the landscaped area for recreation purposes.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.