❓ Mr. Krsticevic questions the Minister for Local Government about the eviction notice given to Picabar. The Minister assures that Picabar will continue to operate and negotiations are underway for a new licence.
AnsweredQoN 820Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PICABAR
820. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the minister's
ruthless decision to evict the operators of Picabar in the Perth Cultural
Centre.
(1) Why was Picabar given only two
and a half weeks' notice to vacate the premises by 14 November?
(2) Why is the minister ruining a family
business, which employs 15 people, in the lead-up to Christmas?
(3) Will the minister, as landlord,
now negotiate a new lease directly with the owners of Picabar?
820. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the minister's
ruthless decision to evict the operators of Picabar in the Perth Cultural
Centre.
(1) Why was Picabar given only two
and a half weeks' notice to vacate the premises by 14 November?
(2) Why is the minister ruining a family
business, which employs 15 people, in the lead-up to Christmas?
(3) Will the minister, as landlord,
now negotiate a new lease directly with the owners of Picabar?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(3) Many
of us in this place would be aware that Picabar is a very important component
of the Perth Cultural Centre and we want it to continue, and it will continue.
There will be operations out of that bar because it is an important part of the
activation of the Perth Cultural Centre. The member would be aware, I assume,
that there has been an unsatisfactory, month-by-month lease between PICA and
the tenant, which dates back to 2012. The issues of certainty for the tenancy
and its continuity were never addressed.
The member will be aware, I am sure,
that responsibility for the total cultural precinct was only recently
transferred to my portfolio area, whereas previously it was under the
Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority. The letter that the member is referring
to was actually a letter from the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts to the
tenant, but I can assure him that there are ongoing negotiations between the
Perth Theatre Trust, which now has management authority over that tenancy, and
the current tenant about the continuation of a licence through to at least
March next year. I understand that the tenant is negotiating that outcome. With
regard to the future of that site, it is a public site; therefore, there are
issues of probity that we need to be aware of. That will be part of the
negotiations with regard to Picabar, but I can assure the member that it is not
closing on 14 November. Activity there will continue, and the activity by the
current tenant has been very, very good. That is widely accepted. We will make
sure that there is a transparent process in place and we will negotiate with
the current tenant, but the member should remember that we have, as part of the
Perth Cultural Centre Precinct, a number of other state-owned entities that are
still to come onstream with regard to commercial tenants, including restaurant
and cafe tenancies at the new museum and at the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
We want to make sure that the cultural precinct is absolutely activated, and
Picabar is part of that activation. There will be no closure of Picabar on 14
November.
(1)–(3) Many
of us in this place would be aware that Picabar is a very important component
of the Perth Cultural Centre and we want it to continue, and it will continue.
There will be operations out of that bar because it is an important part of the
activation of the Perth Cultural Centre. The member would be aware, I assume,
that there has been an unsatisfactory, month-by-month lease between PICA and
the tenant, which dates back to 2012. The issues of certainty for the tenancy
and its continuity were never addressed.
The member will be aware, I am sure,
that responsibility for the total cultural precinct was only recently
transferred to my portfolio area, whereas previously it was under the
Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority. The letter that the member is referring
to was actually a letter from the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts to the
tenant, but I can assure him that there are ongoing negotiations between the
Perth Theatre Trust, which now has management authority over that tenancy, and
the current tenant about the continuation of a licence through to at least
March next year. I understand that the tenant is negotiating that outcome. With
regard to the future of that site, it is a public site; therefore, there are
issues of probity that we need to be aware of. That will be part of the
negotiations with regard to Picabar, but I can assure the member that it is not
closing on 14 November. Activity there will continue, and the activity by the
current tenant has been very, very good. That is widely accepted. We will make
sure that there is a transparent process in place and we will negotiate with
the current tenant, but the member should remember that we have, as part of the
Perth Cultural Centre Precinct, a number of other state-owned entities that are
still to come onstream with regard to commercial tenants, including restaurant
and cafe tenancies at the new museum and at the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
We want to make sure that the cultural precinct is absolutely activated, and
Picabar is part of that activation. There will be no closure of Picabar on 14
November.
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