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Rainbow 2000 © — a Regional Planning Strategy for Albany & the Great Southern, Western Australia |
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“I am aware that the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and DPI are actively pursuing a range of strategies and actions aimed at optimising the use of rail for port related transport, along with work aimed at managing road transport issues in the Albany region. In particular, the outcomes of the Albany Heavy Freight Transport Forum held in late 2002 are being used as a framework for the long term strategic management of these issues. It is noted that the forum has led to further actions focussing on the transport of woodchip materials, along with managing the local impacts of road transport and the development of a road freight traffic management plan.” Dr Judy Edwards, Minister for Environment & Heritage, WA Notice of Appeal Determination : 30 Aug 2003 “I have discussed this with the Board. Rainbow 2000 is well understood locally and in Perth and all the Board members are familiar with the arguments. The charter of the Board is to run the port as required by the Port Authorities Act. Issues such as relocating the port are not a commercial requirement for the Board, as we are confident the current location will be adequate for port operations well into the future. Therefore the Board does not wish to investigate these concepts further, given the enormous public investment in the current location. Naturally, should our owners - the state government, have a different view, we would undertake their requirements. I think your vision is better aimed at senior levels of elected government.” Brad Williamson, Chief Executive Officer, Albany Port Authority Email : 10 Mar 2004 “Albany’s historic importance made it the natural choice for hosting this important event (1st Regional Sitting of State Parliament - Legislative Assembly). Indeed, your city has played a significant role not only in the history of Western Australia but the nation. Albany is where our Anzac troops came together before setting sail for Gallipoli and it is our State’s oldest European settlement.” Geoff Gallop, Premier, State Government of Western Australia Community Cabinet Update : 22 Apr 2004 “The listing of the Albany Anzac Dawn Service Icon followed a range of State Government initiatives aimed at promoting community pride and respect for WA’s Military heritage. These initiatives are aimed at ensuring that the observance of Anzac Day remains strong and is carried on by future generations.” Eric Ripper, Deputy Premier, State Government of Western Australia Community Cabinet Update : 22 Apr 2004 “While I was very interested to read the material you attached concerning the Rainbow 2000 project, the planning issues covered in these documents fall within the responsibilities of local and state governments.” Tony Nutt, Principal Private Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister , Commonwealth of Australia Letter : 23 Apr 2004 “With residential development on two sides of the Port and accommodation on the third, it was only a matter of time before the Port was rendered unviable. Plans for the waterfront development should be displayed in every town in the region which relied on the Port to ensure everyone whose living depended on the Port had the opportunity to comment.” Ian Peacock, Chairman APULG Extract : Albany Advertiser (Page 3), 29 Apr 2004 “Yours is a visionary proposal but on examination it is clear that it is not a proposal the Commission would support. I hope you’ll understand that we are unable to include the matter on a meeting of the Commission. I appreciate your interest in the development of Albany’s future.” Jeremy Dawkins, Chairman, Western Australian Planning Commission Letter : 29 Apr 2004 “With regard to relocation of the port, previous estimates have shown that the cost would be prohibitive. Consequently, the Government’s preferred approach has been to maximise the amount of freight transported by rail, and minimise the negative impacts of the port and key freight routes through better planning of port activities and adjacent land uses. This includes the waterfront, where it is proposed that suitable building codes will be specified to reduce noise effects, and traffic management plans included to minimise conflict between cars and trucks on access roads. A pedestrian overpass is also included to allow non-vehicular access to the (waterfront) development.” Ken Travers MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Planning & Infrastructure, WA Letter : 24 May 2004 Next page or Download a print version of ALL the statements? |
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The following are a selection of significant statements by relevant persons.
Motion : “The Albany Chamber of Commerce & Industry would encourage Smithson Planning to refer the Rainbow 2000 Regional Planning Strategy for Albany and the Great Southern to the City of Albany and the State Government for detailed technical and financial evaluation.” Carried : Unanimously. Executive Committee, Albany Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Item 12.10) Minutes : 10 Aug 1999 “Albany City Council is the appropriate body to present the Rainbow 2000 Strategy to State Government for consideration …. look forward to the City’s approach to me about this matter.” Richard Court, Premier, State Government of Western Australia Letter : 10 Nov 1999 “Regional economic development on a sustainable basis is an important issue for us all and I await with interest the technical and financial evaluations that are being done of the Rainbow 2000© concept.” Geoff Gallop, Opposition Leader, State Government of Western Australia Letter : 15 Jun 2000 “It is encouraging that visionary ideas are being proposed for regional Australia”. John Anderson, Deputy Prime Minister, Commonwealth of Australia Letter : 10 Jul 2000 “It is not proposed to submit Rainbow 2000 to Council for its consideration given that Council has already embarked upon a comprehensive strategic planning process and it is preparing, with financial and administrative support from the Western Australian Planning Commission, a strategic land use document. To recognise or endorse an alternate strategic document would be confusing and totally inappropriate.” Robert Fenn, Director of Development Services, City of Albany Letter : 7 Aug 2000 “That the City of Albany Town Planning Advisory Committee recommend that the community not be consulted on the issue of port relocation as part of wider investigations being undertaken for the development of a new local planning strategy for Albany.” Moved : Elizabeth Barton Seconded : David Juers. Carried. Albany Planning Advisory Committee Minutes : 8 Mar 2001 “The (LPS) review has no provision for a freeway and lists Princess Royal Drive as a major route servicing heavy traffic. The scheme only acknowledges it’s an important road. It is adequate for the foreseeable future. The widening and size of the road will depend on traffic volumes over the long term.” Robert Fenn, Director of Development Services, City of Albany Extract : Albany Advertiser (Page 9), 12 Apr 2001 “The APULG believes that if there is to be additional rail traffic into the City of Albany, there will need to be a substantial upgrade of the only railway line available to industry within the Great Southern, particularly that section of the line between Mirrambeena and the Port. The area of rail that travels alongside Princess Royal Drive would almost certainly have to be developed into a two-line corridor.” Ian Peacock, Chairman, Albany Port User Liaison Group Letter : 19 Mar 2002 “The intent of your proposal to overcome freight access and land use conflict is acknowledged. There is no indecision on the Government’s part … relocating the port is unlikely to be given further consideration given the high cost and the uncertainty about whether it would resolve community concerns regarding heavy road freight … in addition there may be significant environmental impacts. The Government’s preference is to develop lower cost solutions that will manage heavy freight movements and land uses.” Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Planning & Infrastructure, WA Letter : 28 Mar 2003 Having set an “informal level of assessment’, the Minister dismisses five appeals from the community : “Appellants have raised concerns in relation to this proposal (Timbercorp Woodchip Export Facility : Phase 1 : 600,000tpa) within the context of the potential cumulative environmental and social impacts associated with the overall anticipated increases in road transport of woodchips from this and other future proposals, along with other freight, into the Albany port. These concerns are acknowledged, along with the importance of maximising the use of rail for the transport of produce to the port.” |
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Albany, Western Australia
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