❓ Mr Rundle questions the Minister for Planning's concerns regarding Shalom House and its potential impact on future planning, particularly in the Swan Valley. The Minister clarifies their concerns relate to the broader implications of the SAT's interpretation of 'community purpose' for rehab centres across WA.
AnsweredQoN 762Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SHALOM HOUSE
762. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the article by Gary
Adshead in The West Australian on Tuesday, titled ''Time to help,
not stop, Shalom House drug rehabilitation centre'', specifically the
minister's concern that the potential approval of this use in the Swan
Valley Planning Act area may have a substantial effect on the future planning
of the area.
(1) What are the minister's
specific concerns about the potential approval of Shalom House?
(2) Considering
the government has talked up its strategy to reduce drug use in Western Australia,
why is the minister standing in the way of this important facility?
762. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the article by Gary
Adshead in The West Australian on Tuesday, titled ''Time to help,
not stop, Shalom House drug rehabilitation centre'', specifically the
minister's concern that the potential approval of this use in the Swan
Valley Planning Act area may have a substantial effect on the future planning
of the area.
(1) What are the minister's
specific concerns about the potential approval of Shalom House?
(2) Considering
the government has talked up its strategy to reduce drug use in Western Australia,
why is the minister standing in the way of this important facility?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
will first say that I am not standing in the way of the facility, and that the
facility has been operating for a number of years. I will go through two
points. The first is in relation to the definition of ''community purpose''.
The State Administrative Tribunal made a decision about what it interpreted to
be community purpose. That opens up a number of issues across all suburbs and
towns. The question for a Minister for Planning is whether, if rehab centres
come under the definition of community purpose, what impact that will have in suburbs
and towns across Western Australia. That is something I need to take into
consideration, because we have to make sure we are very clear with the public
about the definition of community purpose, and that is the work we are doing,
in particular when I get advocacy, for example, from the member for Nedlands,
who is opposing a particular rehab centre in one suburb because it is in a residential
area. These issues are ongoing and they are everywhere. For example, one
question would be: would the member support having a rehab centre right next
door to a primary school or high school? Those are the questions that the SAT
interpretation is raising for me as Minister for Planning. They are serious
questions for the whole community.
In the Swan Valley, that is a secondary
concern, but we are undertaking a review of the Swan Valley. As I recall,
member for Bassendean, when the previous government was looking for a location
for the disability justice centre, there was a site in the Swan Valley that the
then government walked away from, saying that it did not suit the rural
atmosphere of the Swan Valley. That was a decision made by the previous
government about the location of a disability justice centre in the Swan
Valley. The decision of the previous government was that it was not consistent
with the rural nature of the Swan Valley. However, that is a secondary concern.
The primary concern for me as planning minister is the consequences of the
interpretation of community purpose by the SAT, what it means for suburbs like
Subiaco, Carine, Duncraig, Balcatta and across the whole metropolitan area,
about the implication of where rehab centres can occur under the definition of
community purpose.
will first say that I am not standing in the way of the facility, and that the
facility has been operating for a number of years. I will go through two
points. The first is in relation to the definition of ''community purpose''.
The State Administrative Tribunal made a decision about what it interpreted to
be community purpose. That opens up a number of issues across all suburbs and
towns. The question for a Minister for Planning is whether, if rehab centres
come under the definition of community purpose, what impact that will have in suburbs
and towns across Western Australia. That is something I need to take into
consideration, because we have to make sure we are very clear with the public
about the definition of community purpose, and that is the work we are doing,
in particular when I get advocacy, for example, from the member for Nedlands,
who is opposing a particular rehab centre in one suburb because it is in a residential
area. These issues are ongoing and they are everywhere. For example, one
question would be: would the member support having a rehab centre right next
door to a primary school or high school? Those are the questions that the SAT
interpretation is raising for me as Minister for Planning. They are serious
questions for the whole community.
In the Swan Valley, that is a secondary
concern, but we are undertaking a review of the Swan Valley. As I recall,
member for Bassendean, when the previous government was looking for a location
for the disability justice centre, there was a site in the Swan Valley that the
then government walked away from, saying that it did not suit the rural
atmosphere of the Swan Valley. That was a decision made by the previous
government about the location of a disability justice centre in the Swan
Valley. The decision of the previous government was that it was not consistent
with the rural nature of the Swan Valley. However, that is a secondary concern.
The primary concern for me as planning minister is the consequences of the
interpretation of community purpose by the SAT, what it means for suburbs like
Subiaco, Carine, Duncraig, Balcatta and across the whole metropolitan area,
about the implication of where rehab centres can occur under the definition of
community purpose.
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