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Page 7 of 14 pages : significant questions (jump to page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14) :
President’s Message : “At Last !! After twenty plus years of indecision and delay, the Albany foreshore development is all systems go. When completed, the revitalised harbour front will create a tremendous focal point for the arts, social entertainment, tourism, business and an array of community activities. Sitting on a boardwalk, cappuccino in hand, overlooking boats in the new marina ... sounds good to me. The ACCI congratulates everyone involved in bringing the foreshore development to fruition.” “Progress is also being made with Skywest (Airlines - State sanctioned regional RPT monopoly) in regard to serious concerns over current scheduling, performance and airfares. By the time you receive this newsletter, the inaugural meeting of the Skywest Albany Regional Advisory Board, of which the ACCI is a member, will have met to further thrash out these and other issues - we will keep you posted. We are pleased to announce that the ACCI has contributed $2000 to the Business Improvement Development working group (includes representatives from the City Council, ACCI, retailers and other business operators) that is vested with the initial responsibility of surveying all businesses within the Albany CBD to seek input into ways of revitalising the Central City area and thereby attracting more locals and tourists to shop, eat, drink, and enjoy themselves.” Ian Howard, President Albany Chamber of Commerce & Industry Extract : ACoCI Newsletter (Page 1), May 2007 High praise from Australia’s Governor-General : “Major-General Michael Jeffery (AC CVO MC) praised the waterfront project as tremendous. Albany’s waterfront is being revitalised with a world-class development on Albany’s Princess Royal Harbour foreshore, which includes an entertainment centre and a proposed Anzac Peace Park at the western end of the foreshore. And I note the effectiveness of the Albany Windfarm, which supplies the equivalent of 17,000 average WA homes with wind-generated electricity. Such a project is unrivalled in Australia and should be lauded for its valuable contribution to the pressing environmental concerns of our planet. The gross regional product of the Great Southern 2004/05 was $2.2 billion and it remained the second largest producer of agricultural commodities in WA. Coupled with its inherent beauty and its respect for a rich and diverse past, Albany and its surrounds is an example of a region whose initiatives help earn Australia the reputation as a nation of excellence, a nation that cherishes its past but also looks to the future, a nation which looks to the wellbeing of all its citizens, young and old.” Major-General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC, Governor-General of Australia Extract : Albany Advertiser (Page 3), 8 May 2007 “The original concept of the (Albany) waterfront development has been lost. It is no longer a project to enhance our foreshore with marina and parklands for the benefit and recreation of the residents of Albany. The overriding aim appears to be the establishment of a commercially viable precinct. The constraints of the site produce enormous difficulties and planning regulations have had to be waived as have the needs of the Albany Port. It has resulted in a high density development, up to 24 metres in height with car parking along a very different jetty. I have no doubt that our council officers and councillors have approved the development in the belief that it is the right way forward. I disagree with them, but what do the majority of residents feel. Surely a project as important as this which will for ever alter the face of Albany is a more significant issue than Sunday trading. Why has our council failed to offer a referendum on this (AWP & AEC projects), the most far reaching change our city has seen since first settlement.” Jill Bostock, Albany Resident & Ratepayer Extract : Albany Advertiser (Page 8), 8 May 2007 Politics ‘eroding public service’ : “The State’s public sector watchdog has launched an extraordinary attack on the Carpenter Government, accusing it of disregarding the independence of the public service and feather-bedding ministerial offices with ALP (Australian Labor Party) members at taxpayers’ expense. In her second-last report before retiring this month after the Government refused to renew her contract, Public Sector Standards Commissioner Maxine Murray said the State had overseen a huge increase in ministerial staff members who gave the Government a massive boost at election time. She said Minister’s offices put ‘political spin’ on the advice of public servants to suit the purposes of the Government and that Alan Carpenter’s ability to hire and fire senior bureaucrats had eroded the independence of the public service. In her review, Ms Murray said she had received feedback that public sector staff could no longer assume ministerial officers passed on their advice without it being ‘interfered’ with. Ms Murray’s review said the current situation whereby the Premier was the employer of public sector CEOs had undermined the ability of the sector to act with the |
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required level of political impartiality and integrity.” Maxine Murray, Public Sector Standards Commissioner, WA Extract : West Australian (Page 8), 9 May 2007 State ‘shooting the messenger’ : “The Premier’s response was unfortunate, but not surprising. (Our role) is to assist and add value, so it is unfortunate when the response is, as someone said … to shoot the messenger. (That tactic) just seems to have accelerated in recent times, but it may be that it just so happens that there have been a few unpopular comments made or tabled lately. Ms Murray was only doing her job when she raised concerns about the electoral advantage being given to (the Australian) Labor (Party) by a blow-out in ministerial staff from 105 in December 2001 to 154 in July 2006. All the so-called accountability officers and watchdogs are committed to improving the effectiveness, efficiency and integrity of public administration in WA.” Darryl Wookey, Acting Commissioner, Office of Information, WA Extract : West Australian (Page 10), 12 May 2007 Should Perth be ‘future proofed’? : “Searching for the ‘big ideas’ is the holy grail for politics, too. Yet, if the legions of policy advisers find the ‘big idea’ so difficult to identify, then what chance have we got? Ask yourself, what is a good, catalytic idea that drives a process, becomes a road map and leaves a legacy? A great idea needs to be simple, but complex in its potential. A good idea is instantly understandable, it resonates and communicates iconically – you grasp it instantly. It is a crisp encapsulation. It should feed off the realties of Perth and build aspiration. A good idea needs to have layers and depth. It implies multiple possibilities that can be implemented in many ways. It can be interpreted and expressed creatively in many ways and involve many people – each of whom feels it is their idea and they have something to offer. A good idea connects people and projects. It is dynamic. With a good idea, creativity and practicality come together. A good idea solves economic problems as well as others. Ideally, great ideas speak to the identity of a place; they should support, build on and create identity so that it feels culturally relevant. In this way, ‘big ideas’ speak to deeper values and ambitions.” Charles Landry, City Strategist, Comedia, United Kingdom Extract : West Australian (Page 58), 12 May 2007 Premier firm on Albany foreshore : “It has been a long time coming and there’s been discussion on this sort of development for a very long time. I have seen enough of this sort of thing in public life, where developments are proposed some people oppose it and do everything they can to stop it, ultimately it goes ahead and people recognise it was a really good decision and enjoy it. The other thing is once you make a decision, you need to get on and implement the decision. The worst thing is when governments are indecisive and don’t make a decision or go weak at the knees at the first sign of opposition.” Alan Carpenter, Premier, State Government of Western Australia Extract : Albany Advertiser (Page 3), 19 Jun 2007 Options chosen for Fremantle Outer Harbour : “Two options for Fremantle Ports’ new outer harbour container facilities at Kwinana have been approved to proceed for planning and environmental approval. Additional berths would be needed to handle the overflow container trade when Fremantle’s Inner Harbour reached optimal capacity (2015). We are a trading state and without adequate port capacity our economy will not be sustainable. Both options are smaller than those previously proposed, with a final annual capacity of 1.4 million containers (compared with 2.1 million), with either option estimated to cost $1.3b, including new road and rail links. This is a project of immense economic importance to Western Australia, ensuring that our trade needs continue to be met. It will also involve hundreds of jobs and increase local employment, both in the construction phases and when operational.” “Kwinana was selected as the location for overflow container and general cargo berths following more than 50 technical and planning studies over two decades. The new facilities needed to be on the metropolitan coast because 90% of the State’s container trade travelled within 50 kilometres of Fremantle. The selected options will now be subject to very detailed environmental, planning and economic studies in a full statutory and environmental approvals process to decide which will provide the best outcomes. We anticipate the statutory approvals phase will take about two years after which one of the options will be chosen. Community consultation, which has been underway since 2003, will continue to be an important part of these approvals processes. It is likely that, as with the Inner Harbour in Fremantle, the new container port facility will be a mix of public and private investment. Fremantle Ports and the Department for Planning & Infrastructure are jointly managing the Fremantle Ports Outer Harbour Project.” Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Planning & Infrastructure, State Government WA Statement, 04 Jul 2007 Next page or Download a print version of ALL the statements? |
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Rainbow 2000 © — a Regional Planning Strategy for Albany & the Great Southern, Western Australia |
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Albany, Western Australia
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