❓ Mr. Tallentire asks the Minister for Local Government for an update on the Karrakatta Cemetery renewal program and if the Minister is aware of anyone withdrawing their support. The Minister expresses concern over a perceived change in the Liberal Party's position, accusing the Member for Nedlands of advocating for the cemetery's closure.
AnsweredQoN 635Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KARRAKATTA CEMETERY
RENEWAL PROGRAM
635. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the Minister for Local
Government:
Can the minister update the house on
the Karrakatta Cemetery renewal program; and can the minister advise whether he
is aware of anyone who has backflipped on their support for the renewal
program?
RENEWAL PROGRAM
635. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the Minister for Local
Government:
Can the minister update the house on
the Karrakatta Cemetery renewal program; and can the minister advise whether he
is aware of anyone who has backflipped on their support for the renewal
program?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Thornlie for
his question. It is a very important question. I am gravely concerned about the
perceived backflip by the opposition. It is a serious matter. The renewal
program has been going for a couple of decades. For those members who may not
be aware, the renewal program essentially and respectfully allows for
Karrakatta Cemetery to remain open. That is the fact. The renewal program
allows the cemetery at Karrakatta to remain open. It has been supported by both
sides of politics in successive governments, recognising that there is an
important need to allow people who have relatives or loved ones interred or
buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery to also be accommodated next to their loved
ones when they themselves pass away. This policy has been around for some time;
it is a sensitive policy, but it is important to allow Karrakatta to remain.
Unfortunately, there appears to have been a backflip by the Liberal Party,
through the member for Nedlands, who in fact represents the area in which
Karrakatta Cemetery is located
Earlier this year, I was pleased
that the member for Nedlands and the shadow spokesperson attended the cemetery,
were briefed extensively and toured the cemetery to observe and get a greater
understanding of what the renewal program involves. But it appears from a letter
sent to me only late last month, that that bipartisan support of the renewal
program has now halted, because the member for Nedlands, a senior member of the
Liberal Party, is not only asking me to halt the program, according to his
letter, but also saying that decisions related to the renewal program are made
hastily.
I remind the member, as he would
have had highlighted to him when he visited, that the renewal program is an
extensive process in terms of the new areas of the cemetery that are selected
for renewal. I also remind the member for Nedlands that employees and small
businesses rely upon the future of the cemetery and it remaining open. If the
renewal program did not exist or indeed had been halted, the cemetery would
close. Is that what the member wants to happen?
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : What does
the member want? The dunny doctor from Cottesloe wants to say something now,
does he? Does he want to say something now? Does the member for Cottesloe
support halting the renewal program and therefore support the closure of
Karrakatta Cemetery? The renewal program is an important renewal process to
ensure that the people of Western Australia who have loved ones interred there
can be buried with their loved ones when they pass. It is an important policy
area, and I am astounded that the member for Nedlands and the Liberal Party
have now backflipped on a policy that has been supported for some time and are
now advocating closure of the cemetery. I am astounded that the member for
Nedlands is doing that when it is located in his area. Jobs rely on the
activities and future activities of the cemetery. A number of small businesses
are located in and around the precinct of the cemetery and the member is now
wishing to deny them ongoing activity. I think that the member needs to
understand what his backflip position really is calling for. It is not the
right policy position that he should be holding and, indeed, he should
reconsider his comments very, very carefully.
his question. It is a very important question. I am gravely concerned about the
perceived backflip by the opposition. It is a serious matter. The renewal
program has been going for a couple of decades. For those members who may not
be aware, the renewal program essentially and respectfully allows for
Karrakatta Cemetery to remain open. That is the fact. The renewal program
allows the cemetery at Karrakatta to remain open. It has been supported by both
sides of politics in successive governments, recognising that there is an
important need to allow people who have relatives or loved ones interred or
buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery to also be accommodated next to their loved
ones when they themselves pass away. This policy has been around for some time;
it is a sensitive policy, but it is important to allow Karrakatta to remain.
Unfortunately, there appears to have been a backflip by the Liberal Party,
through the member for Nedlands, who in fact represents the area in which
Karrakatta Cemetery is located
Earlier this year, I was pleased
that the member for Nedlands and the shadow spokesperson attended the cemetery,
were briefed extensively and toured the cemetery to observe and get a greater
understanding of what the renewal program involves. But it appears from a letter
sent to me only late last month, that that bipartisan support of the renewal
program has now halted, because the member for Nedlands, a senior member of the
Liberal Party, is not only asking me to halt the program, according to his
letter, but also saying that decisions related to the renewal program are made
hastily.
I remind the member, as he would
have had highlighted to him when he visited, that the renewal program is an
extensive process in terms of the new areas of the cemetery that are selected
for renewal. I also remind the member for Nedlands that employees and small
businesses rely upon the future of the cemetery and it remaining open. If the
renewal program did not exist or indeed had been halted, the cemetery would
close. Is that what the member wants to happen?
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : What does
the member want? The dunny doctor from Cottesloe wants to say something now,
does he? Does he want to say something now? Does the member for Cottesloe
support halting the renewal program and therefore support the closure of
Karrakatta Cemetery? The renewal program is an important renewal process to
ensure that the people of Western Australia who have loved ones interred there
can be buried with their loved ones when they pass. It is an important policy
area, and I am astounded that the member for Nedlands and the Liberal Party
have now backflipped on a policy that has been supported for some time and are
now advocating closure of the cemetery. I am astounded that the member for
Nedlands is doing that when it is located in his area. Jobs rely on the
activities and future activities of the cemetery. A number of small businesses
are located in and around the precinct of the cemetery and the member is now
wishing to deny them ongoing activity. I think that the member needs to
understand what his backflip position really is calling for. It is not the
right policy position that he should be holding and, indeed, he should
reconsider his comments very, very carefully.
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