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Page 10 of 14 pages : significant questions (jump to page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14) :
Fremantle’s limitations force port push : “Planning and Transport Research Centre executive director Greg Martin said ports, which were vital to the state’s prosperity, were generally taken for granted. He said governments had a responsibility to help ports stay viable by engaging in extensive planning and community consultation to ensure provision was made for buffer zones, transport access routes and new port projects. There is no excuse not to be engaging in long-term planning, Mr Martin said. It remains important in a post boom environment to engage in planning and strategic investment.” Professor Greg Martin, Planning & Transport Research Centre, WA Extract : WA Business News (Page 9), 27 Nov 2008 Heritage boss goes with shot at political masters : “Retiring Heritage Council of WA director Ian Baxter says politics needs to be taken out of heritage issues in WA, including removing the Minister from the decision-making process. Mr Baxter, who forged his reputation as a heritage tough-nut during the Old Swan Brewery debate of the early 1990s and the prosecution of a Peth developer for illegally demolishing the old Railway Hotel in Barrack Street, retired on Friday after 17 years as the State’s heritage boss. Mr Baxter’s parting shots come as the council prepares to re-list a Beaufort Street property owned by former Labor heritage minister Michelle Roberts, which she had allowed to slide off the interim register while in the job. He said the council should be given more autonomy, with appeals sent to an independent arbiter such as the State Administrative Tribunal. If they had the guts to do it, the Government could have a ‘call-in-power’ for a decision the Heritage Council might make on matters of strategic importance, like when heritage is in the way of a new railway or port, he said. It amazes me that ministers have time to sign off on every registration. The council should be given more autonomy and responsibility to deal with things independently. Until that happens, we’ll continue with this dog’s breakfast.” “Mr Baxter listed Heritage Council successes as retaining Newspaper House in St. George’s Terrace (Perth), the Raffles Hotel (Melville), buildings at 140 Williams Street now under redevelopment (Perth), the Midland Railway Workshops (Swan), the conversions of the Old Maltings building in Northbridge (Perth) and the Bunbury silos (Bunbury), and the retention of the East Perth Power Station (Perth). But successive Governments had failed to address the power station and Old Treasury Building (Perth), which represented wasted opportunities. The council’s greatest success had been putting heritage issues ‘on the map’ after a long period when many heritage buildings were destroyed. When I first came in, people didn’t understand what heritage was and what we were trying to achieve, he said. We’ve introduced conservation plans for 70% of our listed places and they have become like a bible for developing heritage places. WA has 1300 heritage-listed places.” Ian Baxter, Past-Director, Heritage Council of Western Australia Article : West Australian (Page 18), 02 Feb 2009 Approval for Albany Marina : “Environment Minister Donna Faragher has approved the implementation of the Albany Protected Harbour development, based on information that the proposal meets strict environmental guidelines in relation to Princess Royal Harbour. LandCorp proposed to develop the Albany Protected Harbour through the expansion of the existing Albany Town Jetty with a breakwater that would shelter a 6.6 hectare area of water. The proposal was designed to complement LandCorp’s Albany Foreshore Redevelopment Project, creating a tourism and entertainment precinct on the adjacent foreshore. The Minister sought advice from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and other relevant regulators. Mrs Faragher amended the EPA’s conditions by more clearly defining the sentinel mussel monitoring program. This is a program whereby the proponent, LandCorp, will be required to deploy and regularly harvest ‘sentinel’ mussels to monitor for certain metal contaminants as verification that the construction of the harbour is not impacting on the marine environment and human health,” she said. The modifications approved by the Minister to the program were consistent with advice from the Department of Health. The monitoring program would be developed in consultation with the Department of Fisheries. LandCorp must also monitor and meet water quality and sediment objectives set by the EPA in Royal Princess Harbour and monitor and replant seagrass around the breakwaters.” The Hon. Donna Faragher MLC, Minister for the Environment Media Statement : GMO, 18 Feb 2009 Unified planning scheme in sight : “A unified planning scheme for the City of Albany is finally within sight more than a decade after the Town and Shire amalgamation. Albany Mayor Milton Evans said Tuesday’s Council decision to send its draft Local Planning Scheme #1 to the Environmental Protection Agency (sic Authority) and the WA Planning Commission was a landmark moment for Albany. For the past decade the City’s planning has been based on the separate planning schemes inherited from the Town and Shire. This has created inefficiencies and misunderstandings at times, but it was the only way to manage after amalgamation. When the new planning scheme is assessed, amended as necessary and adopted, planners and developers will enjoy a clearer, more efficient system. If approved by the WA Planning Commission and the EPA, the Local Planning Scheme would be referred back to Council to be advertised for public comment for another three months. After considering submissions and modifying the scheme as necessary (or required), it would be considered for final adoption by Council and resubmitted to the Minister for approval. “ |
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“Final approval (by the Minister for Planning) is obviously months away, if not longer, but the City finally has a draft document and full adoption is on the horizon, Mayor Evans said. Planners and developers have been urging the Council to make progress on the unified scheme and it is pleasing to see this milestone moment. The new scheme has been written for the entire municipality of Albany, and takes into account a wide variety of planning needs. Mr Evans said that among the principles followed in developing the scheme was the protection of key infrastructure such as port, sewerage and power amenities. The document also seeks to protect Aboriginal and European heritage, promote sustainability and promote higher density urban areas with positive community interaction.” Mayor Milton Evans, City of Albany Extract : AGS Weekender (Page 3), 19 Feb 2009 Japan’s link to Anzac legend : Albany media consultant Denise Smithson is on a mission to piece together the mystery of a Japanese battleship and its part in the Anzac legend. The research project, Japan’s Forgotten Link to the Anzac Legend, has been partially funded by the Australia Japan Foundation, part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and started this month. Mrs Smithson’s consultancy, Smithson Media, is researching the Japanese ship, His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s Ship Ibuki, which had been part of the naval escort of the Australian and New Zealand Expeditionary Forces to the Middle East at the beginning of World War I in 1914. After sailing from Japan, via New Zealand, HIJMS Ibuki played a pivotal role in the protection of the convoy of troop ships assembled from around Australia and New Zealand, and on November 1, 1914 sailed from Albany in Western Australia, Mrs Smithson said. Smithson Media is seeking information about the role the Ibuki (pronounced E-boo-key) played in the protection of the ANZEF fleet as the troop convoy made its way to Egypt and eventually Gallipoli. It would be a difficult task, as records and sources of information were sparse, Mrs Smithson said. But I like a challenge. I know how important the Anzac legend is to Albany, and this is a chance to fill out the story, she said. Albany has a profound and continuing connection with the Anzac legend. Uncovering more information about the Ibuki would add to Australia and Japan’s knowledge and understanding of each other’s place in world history. It was also significant given the growing economic ties Albany had established through export to Japanese markets. Smithson Media will research in Australia, Japan and New Zealand and publish findings in a report to the government and project partners when it is completed in May next year. Smithson Media is still seeking funding partners for this project and would welcome discussion with interested parties.” Denise Smithson, Managing Director, Smithson Media Article : Albany Advertiser (Page 4), 10 Mar 2009 Oakajee ‘a watershed’ moment for Geraldton & Mid-West : “The $4 billion Oakajee port and rail project in the Mid-West would be Australia’s most significant industrial development over the next 25 years, Premier Colin Barnett said yesterday. After signing a development agreement with infrastructure provider Oakajee Port & Rail, Mr Barnett said the project was a watershed for the country because of the involvement of Australia, Japan and China. The $2.4 billion rail component of the project is expected to service emerging iron ore miners in the Mid-West and the port hopes to be shipping about 35 million tonnes a year when it opens in 2013-2014. OPR is a joint venture company between Mid-West miner Murchison Metals and giant Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi’s executive vice-president Jun Kinukawa said OPR would welcome Chinese involvement. Chinese steel companies have invested heavily in Mid-West Iron Ore companies.” Hon. Colin Barnett MLA, Premier of Western Australia Article : West Australian (Page 6), 21 Mar 2009 Govt confirms support for Anzac peace park : “Australian government funding for three ready-to-go local infrastructure projects in Albany has been confirmed. A total of $626,000 has been provided for the Anzac Peace Park, the upgrade of the Anzac memorial on Mt. Clarence and a mountain bike trail. Albany MLA Peter Watson said the funding would help generate construction activity and support local jobs. It will also benefit our local community by delivering much-needed upgrades to our public open spaces. The funding is part of the Rudd government’s $800 million Community Infrastructure Program. Mr Watson said the support for Albany’s Anzac links was important in the lead-up to the centenary of the Gallipoli invasion. Albany holds a key place in the Anzac legend and it is important we do all we can to recognise this. The Albany Anzac Peace Park will enable visitors to Albany as well as Albany locals to learn about our key role in Australia’s military heritage. Mr Watson highlighted the significant role Albany played in the history of the Anzac Day dawn service. The service, which is now a part of our cultural heritage, traces its roots back to a service held on Mt. Clarence in Albany. Mr Watson had a dig at the State Government’s recent promise to the regions of money through the Royalties for Regions program. He said it was a clear departure from the National Party’s pork-barrelling. Real regional development stimulates the economy and happens across all of our regions.” Hon. Peter Watson MLA, Member for Albany Extract : AGS Weekender (Page 5), 02 Apr 2009
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Albany, Western Australia
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