❓ Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Local Government regarding changes to caravan park regulations, specifically concerning length of stay in nature-based parks. The Minister acknowledges concerns but denies an exemption, suggesting alternative options for affected campers.
AnsweredQoN 727Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CARAVAN PARKS AND CAMPING GROUNDS REGULATIONS 1997
727. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the minister
representing the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to changes to the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds
Regulations 1997, particularly clause 5A of schedule 7, which provides that the
maximum length of stay is to be 28 days in any three-month period in a nature-based
park.
(1) Were all local governments made aware of this change?
(2) What form of notification was used to notify local
government of this change?
(3) Have any local governments sought a moratorium in
relation to this change?
(4) Is the Minister for Local Government aware of concern
about this change?
(5) What is the minister doing to address this concern?
727. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the minister
representing the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to changes to the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds
Regulations 1997, particularly clause 5A of schedule 7, which provides that the
maximum length of stay is to be 28 days in any three-month period in a nature-based
park.
(1) Were all local governments made aware of this change?
(2) What form of notification was used to notify local
government of this change?
(3) Have any local governments sought a moratorium in
relation to this change?
(4) Is the Minister for Local Government aware of concern
about this change?
(5) What is the minister doing to address this concern?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2)
All local governments were formally made aware of the change in circular 32–2014
issued by the director general of the Department of Local Government and
Communities on 9 December 2014. That circular advised of the changes that would
take effect from 1 January 2015. Local governments had previously been made
aware of the review of the regulations and were invited to participate in it in
circulars dated 15 November 2013 and 21 January 2014.
(3) No local
government has sought a moratorium in relation to the change, although one
local government, the City of Karratha, has applied to the Minister for Local
Government for an exemption from applying the restriction on length of stay in
a nature-based park for 2015 at two facilities within its district.
(4) The
minister is aware that people who have previously stayed for extended periods
in one of two nature-based parks in the City of Karratha are unhappy with the
restrictions on their stay and the lack of notification by the city of this
change. The minister is also aware of the support from other users and
potential users for the restriction on length of stay, which allows them to
also access these facilities for their holidays.
(5) The minister
has determined that an exemption from compliance with this provision is not in
the public interest. The minister is sympathetic to these campers and has asked
the City of Karratha to not move on any of the current occupiers within two weeks
of receiving the letter of advice. They are able to make use of the other
nature-based park within the City of Karratha or any other caravan park.
(1)–(2)
All local governments were formally made aware of the change in circular 32–2014
issued by the director general of the Department of Local Government and
Communities on 9 December 2014. That circular advised of the changes that would
take effect from 1 January 2015. Local governments had previously been made
aware of the review of the regulations and were invited to participate in it in
circulars dated 15 November 2013 and 21 January 2014.
(3) No local
government has sought a moratorium in relation to the change, although one
local government, the City of Karratha, has applied to the Minister for Local
Government for an exemption from applying the restriction on length of stay in
a nature-based park for 2015 at two facilities within its district.
(4) The
minister is aware that people who have previously stayed for extended periods
in one of two nature-based parks in the City of Karratha are unhappy with the
restrictions on their stay and the lack of notification by the city of this
change. The minister is also aware of the support from other users and
potential users for the restriction on length of stay, which allows them to
also access these facilities for their holidays.
(5) The minister
has determined that an exemption from compliance with this provision is not in
the public interest. The minister is sympathetic to these campers and has asked
the City of Karratha to not move on any of the current occupiers within two weeks
of receiving the letter of advice. They are able to make use of the other
nature-based park within the City of Karratha or any other caravan park.
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