❓ Mr. Sutherland questions the impact of the Elizabeth Quay project on Perth's hotel room supply. The Minister aims for at least 400 new hotel rooms within the development to address the current shortage.
AnsweredQoN 451Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELIZABETH QUAY PROJECT — HOTEL ROOM SUPPLY
451. Mr M.W. SUTHERLAND to the Minister for Planning:
The minister recently made an announcement regarding
Elizabeth Quay. What impact will this announcement have on the supply of hotel
rooms in the Perth central business district?
451. Mr M.W. SUTHERLAND to the Minister for Planning:
The minister recently made an announcement regarding
Elizabeth Quay. What impact will this announcement have on the supply of hotel
rooms in the Perth central business district?
AnswerView source ↗
I was pleased, last week, to make the announcement about two
of the nine lots going onto the market in the Elizabeth Quay development being
made available to the private sector, with expressions of interest being sought.
That process closes—the first stage at least—towards the end of
October. I think members are well aware that the Elizabeth Quay project is one
of the government's key projects in the revitalisation and
transformation of Perth as the capital of Western Australia. One of the key
aspects of the project is a desire to provide additional hotel tourism
accommodation in the Perth CBD. It is well recognised that there is a
significant shortage of hotel rooms at the moment, with occupancy rates in
Perth being the highest of any Australian capital city; the cost of occupancy,
therefore, is also either the highest or amongst the highest in Australia.
Achieving additional hotel accommodation is of crucial importance. We intend
that at least 400 hotel rooms will be provided on either one or both of sites 9
and 10, which are on the eastern side of the Elizabeth Quay project, adjacent
to Barrack Square, and the amount of land being made available is 6 800 square
metres for a mix of retail, residential and short-stay accommodation. It is
possible that the short-stay accommodation could be combined with long-term
residential accommodation as well, but we want, ideally, a minimum of 400 rooms
to be provided.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
How are you going to get that? Are you going to prescribe it—is it
going to be a requirement—or is it just what you would like?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : We
have gone out to the market and asked for expressions of interest from
potential hotel operators and developers to actually develop a hotel and
short-stay accommodation on the site. I am very pleased that the member for
Midland —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Belmont, member for West Swan and member for Midland, if you wish to
engage with the minister, I suggest that you craft a question and stand and put
that question to him; otherwise, I am going to call you to order for
continually interjecting.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : It
is pleasing that the member for Midland at least appears to accept that there
is a need for additional hotel accommodation in Perth, and perhaps is even
indicating a hint of support for this project, in complete contrast to the
Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M. McGowan : Oh,
really?
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
Yes, ''Oh, really.'' For example, on ABC radio this morning, the
Leader of the Opposition made this statement —
In the case of Elizabeth Quay,
again, I think there was a better option. I saw the City Gatekeepers'
option. I thought that was probably better without the massive traffic
disruption that we'll have down there.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Order!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
Leader of the Opposition went on to say later in the discussion on ABC radio —
In the case of Elizabeth Quay, if
there can be savings made there, we will, by having a, perhaps a more
affordable option and, you know, resolving some of the traffic issues as well.
The Leader of the Opposition supports the City Gatekeepers'
plan, which is a minor development proposal between Riverside Drive and the
Swan River. It would do nothing to remove the impediment to access to the Swan
River that exists at the moment for people on foot, and it would also be a very
minor inconsequential development that would be hardly likely to provide any
tourism accommodation.
Let us look at what the Leader of the Opposition had to say
three and a half years ago when he was shadow Minister for Planning. When I, as
Minister for Planning, indicated that the government, which was elected about
eight or nine months earlier, would be reviewing the plan put out by the
previous Labor government and downscaling it to some extent, the Leader of the
Opposition, as he now is, was quoted in The West Australian on 3 April
2009. The article states —
But the State opposition said the
announcement reflected a complete lack of planning, vision and boldness and
described the reconvened task force as a waste of money.
Shadow planning minister Mark
McGowan said Labor's plans would have created life in the precinct and
he claimed that the Government was functioning with ''a 1980s mind-set''.
That is what he thought then.
Mr M. McGowan : I
was wrong; 1970s—I was out by a decade!
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
Whether it is the 1970s, 1980s or whatever, it is nothing compared with the
1950s, which is exactly where he is. The Leader of the Opposition is absolutely
all over the place on this project. He cannot make up his mind. Three years ago
he was supporting the previous Labor government's plans, which
incidentally would have had a total project area of about 20 hectares compared
to the current project having an area of about 10 hectares, and building
heights would have ranged from nine to 57 storeys compared with the building
heights under the project that the government has underway of 12 storeys to a
maximum of 40 storeys. In fact, I think it will be a maximum of 36 storeys in
the end. The Leader of the Opposition has been completely inconsistent on this
project.
Mr J.N. Hyde : How
is your fire station hotel going?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Perth!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
Leader of the Opposition is absolutely all over the place.
Mr J.N. Hyde : Has
anyone tendered for it?
The
SPEAKER : I formally call the member for Perth to order for the first
and second time today. Minister, I hope that when you stand, you will conclude
the answer to this question. I have given you a lot of opportunity.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I will conclude by pointing out the complete inconsistency of
the Leader of the Opposition. He is opposing the Elizabeth Quay project and
also the stadium being located at Burswood. The Leader of the Opposition said
that if Labor is elected to government, it will relocate the stadium to Subiaco—so
that project would go on hold. The opposition is also opposing the
redevelopment of the Western Australian Museum.
of the nine lots going onto the market in the Elizabeth Quay development being
made available to the private sector, with expressions of interest being sought.
That process closes—the first stage at least—towards the end of
October. I think members are well aware that the Elizabeth Quay project is one
of the government's key projects in the revitalisation and
transformation of Perth as the capital of Western Australia. One of the key
aspects of the project is a desire to provide additional hotel tourism
accommodation in the Perth CBD. It is well recognised that there is a
significant shortage of hotel rooms at the moment, with occupancy rates in
Perth being the highest of any Australian capital city; the cost of occupancy,
therefore, is also either the highest or amongst the highest in Australia.
Achieving additional hotel accommodation is of crucial importance. We intend
that at least 400 hotel rooms will be provided on either one or both of sites 9
and 10, which are on the eastern side of the Elizabeth Quay project, adjacent
to Barrack Square, and the amount of land being made available is 6 800 square
metres for a mix of retail, residential and short-stay accommodation. It is
possible that the short-stay accommodation could be combined with long-term
residential accommodation as well, but we want, ideally, a minimum of 400 rooms
to be provided.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
How are you going to get that? Are you going to prescribe it—is it
going to be a requirement—or is it just what you would like?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : We
have gone out to the market and asked for expressions of interest from
potential hotel operators and developers to actually develop a hotel and
short-stay accommodation on the site. I am very pleased that the member for
Midland —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Belmont, member for West Swan and member for Midland, if you wish to
engage with the minister, I suggest that you craft a question and stand and put
that question to him; otherwise, I am going to call you to order for
continually interjecting.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : It
is pleasing that the member for Midland at least appears to accept that there
is a need for additional hotel accommodation in Perth, and perhaps is even
indicating a hint of support for this project, in complete contrast to the
Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M. McGowan : Oh,
really?
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
Yes, ''Oh, really.'' For example, on ABC radio this morning, the
Leader of the Opposition made this statement —
In the case of Elizabeth Quay,
again, I think there was a better option. I saw the City Gatekeepers'
option. I thought that was probably better without the massive traffic
disruption that we'll have down there.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Order!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
Leader of the Opposition went on to say later in the discussion on ABC radio —
In the case of Elizabeth Quay, if
there can be savings made there, we will, by having a, perhaps a more
affordable option and, you know, resolving some of the traffic issues as well.
The Leader of the Opposition supports the City Gatekeepers'
plan, which is a minor development proposal between Riverside Drive and the
Swan River. It would do nothing to remove the impediment to access to the Swan
River that exists at the moment for people on foot, and it would also be a very
minor inconsequential development that would be hardly likely to provide any
tourism accommodation.
Let us look at what the Leader of the Opposition had to say
three and a half years ago when he was shadow Minister for Planning. When I, as
Minister for Planning, indicated that the government, which was elected about
eight or nine months earlier, would be reviewing the plan put out by the
previous Labor government and downscaling it to some extent, the Leader of the
Opposition, as he now is, was quoted in The West Australian on 3 April
2009. The article states —
But the State opposition said the
announcement reflected a complete lack of planning, vision and boldness and
described the reconvened task force as a waste of money.
Shadow planning minister Mark
McGowan said Labor's plans would have created life in the precinct and
he claimed that the Government was functioning with ''a 1980s mind-set''.
That is what he thought then.
Mr M. McGowan : I
was wrong; 1970s—I was out by a decade!
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
Whether it is the 1970s, 1980s or whatever, it is nothing compared with the
1950s, which is exactly where he is. The Leader of the Opposition is absolutely
all over the place on this project. He cannot make up his mind. Three years ago
he was supporting the previous Labor government's plans, which
incidentally would have had a total project area of about 20 hectares compared
to the current project having an area of about 10 hectares, and building
heights would have ranged from nine to 57 storeys compared with the building
heights under the project that the government has underway of 12 storeys to a
maximum of 40 storeys. In fact, I think it will be a maximum of 36 storeys in
the end. The Leader of the Opposition has been completely inconsistent on this
project.
Mr J.N. Hyde : How
is your fire station hotel going?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Perth!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
Leader of the Opposition is absolutely all over the place.
Mr J.N. Hyde : Has
anyone tendered for it?
The
SPEAKER : I formally call the member for Perth to order for the first
and second time today. Minister, I hope that when you stand, you will conclude
the answer to this question. I have given you a lot of opportunity.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I will conclude by pointing out the complete inconsistency of
the Leader of the Opposition. He is opposing the Elizabeth Quay project and
also the stadium being located at Burswood. The Leader of the Opposition said
that if Labor is elected to government, it will relocate the stadium to Subiaco—so
that project would go on hold. The opposition is also opposing the
redevelopment of the Western Australian Museum.
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