❓ Mr. Watson questions the Minister for Sport and Recreation about a tender to examine paid parking at VenuesWest sites, expressing concerns about the impact on families and sports participation. The Minister responds that VenuesWest is reviewing parking processes and any recommendations will be considered, with awareness of the need to avoid burdening families and sports participants.
AnsweredQoN 524Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
VENUESWEST — PAID PARKING
524. Mr P.B. WATSON to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
I refer to the tender to examine the
implementation of paid parking at VenuesWest sites with a view to making
parking more profitable.
(1) With the
widely acknowledged need to maintain increased participation by children and
adults in sport, why is the minister considering imposing this parking tax?
(2) Does he
concede that by placing further costs on parents, some families will not be
able to afford to have their children participate in events at these venues?
(3) Will he
rule out right now imposing parking fees on families and wasting taxpayers'
money on this consultant?
524. Mr P.B. WATSON to the Minister for Sport and
Recreation:
I refer to the tender to examine the
implementation of paid parking at VenuesWest sites with a view to making
parking more profitable.
(1) With the
widely acknowledged need to maintain increased participation by children and
adults in sport, why is the minister considering imposing this parking tax?
(2) Does he
concede that by placing further costs on parents, some families will not be
able to afford to have their children participate in events at these venues?
(3) Will he
rule out right now imposing parking fees on families and wasting taxpayers'
money on this consultant?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Albany for
the question.
(1)–(3) I
think the member has jumped the gun a little. VenuesWest, which charges some
parking fees now, is looking at the parking processes at its venues. People
park at Challenge Stadium and catch the bus to work, leaving their car there
all day. The same thing happens at Arena Joondalup. VenuesWest is looking at
the whole parking structure. That could result in some charges for parking at
special events. Obviously, any recommendations that it considers will come to
me, as the minister. I am very aware that we do not want to put imposts on
families with children or people who go to venues for exercise and to
participate in their own sporting pursuits, but we must ensure that we control
the parking at the venues for the benefit of those people. We are finding that
the people who attend those venues are being affected. VenuesWest is getting a
group to look at different ways to handle the parking and to make
recommendations. There are problems at Challenge Stadium when two events are
held at the same time and the parking has to be managed. It is about managing
the parking, and other options may be open to it. I will look at that when it
comes to me. It is going through this issue very responsibly. I think people
jumped on the bandwagon because they thought that mums and dads would be
charged exorbitant parking fees.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
No; there are already some charges for parking at the venues. Graham Partridge,
the chair of VenuesWest, made the comment the other day that we may consider
allowing people to park for free for the first two hours, and if they want to
stay for longer, they will pay, as is done in Subiaco. If people have to go to
the bank in Subiaco, they can park for free for the first hour, but they cannot
park there all day.
It is a really sensible approach. It is a fair question. I
thank the member for the question. I think we are going about this the right
way, and I will keep him informed.
the question.
(1)–(3) I
think the member has jumped the gun a little. VenuesWest, which charges some
parking fees now, is looking at the parking processes at its venues. People
park at Challenge Stadium and catch the bus to work, leaving their car there
all day. The same thing happens at Arena Joondalup. VenuesWest is looking at
the whole parking structure. That could result in some charges for parking at
special events. Obviously, any recommendations that it considers will come to
me, as the minister. I am very aware that we do not want to put imposts on
families with children or people who go to venues for exercise and to
participate in their own sporting pursuits, but we must ensure that we control
the parking at the venues for the benefit of those people. We are finding that
the people who attend those venues are being affected. VenuesWest is getting a
group to look at different ways to handle the parking and to make
recommendations. There are problems at Challenge Stadium when two events are
held at the same time and the parking has to be managed. It is about managing
the parking, and other options may be open to it. I will look at that when it
comes to me. It is going through this issue very responsibly. I think people
jumped on the bandwagon because they thought that mums and dads would be
charged exorbitant parking fees.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
No; there are already some charges for parking at the venues. Graham Partridge,
the chair of VenuesWest, made the comment the other day that we may consider
allowing people to park for free for the first two hours, and if they want to
stay for longer, they will pay, as is done in Subiaco. If people have to go to
the bank in Subiaco, they can park for free for the first hour, but they cannot
park there all day.
It is a really sensible approach. It is a fair question. I
thank the member for the question. I think we are going about this the right
way, and I will keep him informed.
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