❓ The Minister for Local Government outlines the Cook Labor government's $4.8 million investment in off-road vehicle (ORV) areas, highlighting their potential for community recreation and tourism, while contrasting their commitment with the previous Liberal-National government's inaction.
AnsweredQoN 604Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OFF-ROAD VEHICLE AREAS —
COMMUNITY RECREATION FACILITIES
604. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
investment in outdoor community recreation facilities across the state.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's commitment to
deliver new and upgraded off-road vehicle areas will provide accessible and
family friendly community assets?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how these
facilities have the potential to create local tourism opportunities in
regional Western Australia?
COMMUNITY RECREATION FACILITIES
604. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
investment in outdoor community recreation facilities across the state.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's commitment to
deliver new and upgraded off-road vehicle areas will provide accessible and
family friendly community assets?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how these
facilities have the potential to create local tourism opportunities in
regional Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Thank you, member, for the question. I, too, would
like to welcome—although she has now gone —t he member for Rockingham and little baby Bowie, who
I am sure will be the rockstar of this place going forward .
I have spoken a couple of times in
Parliament about how on Father's Day I was able to stand alongside the
president of the Western Australian Local Government Association, Karen
Chappel, to announce a $4.8 million grants package for off-road vehicle areas
across our state. That is the largest investment that ORV areas have seen in an incredibly long time. It will allow for
new areas to be developed, with grants of
up to $1 million, as well as support existing areas, with grants of $200 000
for upgrades and maintenance. I am very pleased about that funding. In
visiting ORV areas around our state, I have seen not only how much they vary,
but also how well community organisations and trail-bike riding associations
can work with local governments to deliver really great, inclusive and safe ORV
areas. We need more of them, so I am really pleased with this grants package.
We have also seen the potential of
ORV areas to bring in more visitors and tourists. We recently invested in the
Shire of York's Oliver Battista Motocross Track, which has seen a noticeable
uptick in visitors to the area, particularly
on weekends with good weather. I know from speaking to the small businesses of
York that they have been really grateful for that extra boost that that
developed ORV area has provided them.
The
announcement of $4.8 million of grants has been warmly received by the
community. The ever-active Recreational Trailbike Riders'
Association of Western Australia has welcomed the funding, and even the Shire
of Gingin's CEO, Aaron Cook, who has historically been very vocal about
the need for further support for ORV areas, told ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt
Mornings —
Look, it is a fantastic announcement
that has been provided. The Shire of Gingin is actually quite excited by this,
because this has been a long time coming �
The Shire of Gingin will be able to
apply for one of those $200 000 grants for upgrades and maintenance of its
existing ORV area, or, if it wants to build a new one, because I know how many
people it brings to Lancelin, it can apply for a $1 million grant.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms H.M. BEAZLEY : This is
another proof point of the Cook government's investment in outdoor adventure
tourism, which has already seen a $165 million dedication in this year's
state budget. It is a huge opportunity for local
governments across our state to develop a feature that will be a great tourist
and visitor drawcard for those local governments. I also take this
opportunity to note and compare the difference between our government's
investment in and commitment to off-road
vehicle riders compared with those opposite. In addition to this landmark $ 4.8
million investment, we have invested around $350 000 from the ORV account into
a wide range of initiatives since 2017, including capital works at Ledge Point,
York, Medina, Pinjar and Lancelin. We have introduced legislative reform into Parliament, we are working with the
Department of Transport to develop systems to enable the online registration of ORVs and we have re-established the ORV advisory committee, which met only
twice during the last five years of the Liberal–National government.
A government member : Lazy.
Ms H.M. BEAZLEY : I know.
Many of those initiatives have their
origins in the 2008 state trail bike strategy, which was delivered under the
Carpenter Labor government. In the following nine years, the Liberal–National
government had every opportunity to institute the reforms that were associated
with that strategy and yet it did nothing. It spent nothing from the ORV
account to support riders in the last four years of its term.
Looking forward, we are all excited
to see the proposals that will come from local government for these new ORV areas.
If we are re-elected next term, I hope to get the opportunity to visit and
recreate on them myself.
like to welcome—although she has now gone —t he member for Rockingham and little baby Bowie, who
I am sure will be the rockstar of this place going forward .
I have spoken a couple of times in
Parliament about how on Father's Day I was able to stand alongside the
president of the Western Australian Local Government Association, Karen
Chappel, to announce a $4.8 million grants package for off-road vehicle areas
across our state. That is the largest investment that ORV areas have seen in an incredibly long time. It will allow for
new areas to be developed, with grants of
up to $1 million, as well as support existing areas, with grants of $200 000
for upgrades and maintenance. I am very pleased about that funding. In
visiting ORV areas around our state, I have seen not only how much they vary,
but also how well community organisations and trail-bike riding associations
can work with local governments to deliver really great, inclusive and safe ORV
areas. We need more of them, so I am really pleased with this grants package.
We have also seen the potential of
ORV areas to bring in more visitors and tourists. We recently invested in the
Shire of York's Oliver Battista Motocross Track, which has seen a noticeable
uptick in visitors to the area, particularly
on weekends with good weather. I know from speaking to the small businesses of
York that they have been really grateful for that extra boost that that
developed ORV area has provided them.
The
announcement of $4.8 million of grants has been warmly received by the
community. The ever-active Recreational Trailbike Riders'
Association of Western Australia has welcomed the funding, and even the Shire
of Gingin's CEO, Aaron Cook, who has historically been very vocal about
the need for further support for ORV areas, told ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt
Mornings —
Look, it is a fantastic announcement
that has been provided. The Shire of Gingin is actually quite excited by this,
because this has been a long time coming �
The Shire of Gingin will be able to
apply for one of those $200 000 grants for upgrades and maintenance of its
existing ORV area, or, if it wants to build a new one, because I know how many
people it brings to Lancelin, it can apply for a $1 million grant.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms H.M. BEAZLEY : This is
another proof point of the Cook government's investment in outdoor adventure
tourism, which has already seen a $165 million dedication in this year's
state budget. It is a huge opportunity for local
governments across our state to develop a feature that will be a great tourist
and visitor drawcard for those local governments. I also take this
opportunity to note and compare the difference between our government's
investment in and commitment to off-road
vehicle riders compared with those opposite. In addition to this landmark $ 4.8
million investment, we have invested around $350 000 from the ORV account into
a wide range of initiatives since 2017, including capital works at Ledge Point,
York, Medina, Pinjar and Lancelin. We have introduced legislative reform into Parliament, we are working with the
Department of Transport to develop systems to enable the online registration of ORVs and we have re-established the ORV advisory committee, which met only
twice during the last five years of the Liberal–National government.
A government member : Lazy.
Ms H.M. BEAZLEY : I know.
Many of those initiatives have their
origins in the 2008 state trail bike strategy, which was delivered under the
Carpenter Labor government. In the following nine years, the Liberal–National
government had every opportunity to institute the reforms that were associated
with that strategy and yet it did nothing. It spent nothing from the ORV
account to support riders in the last four years of its term.
Looking forward, we are all excited
to see the proposals that will come from local government for these new ORV areas.
If we are re-elected next term, I hope to get the opportunity to visit and
recreate on them myself.
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