Continued efforts to resolve Kalgoorlie hotel issue

31/5/93

Heritage Minister Richard Lewis said today the State Government would continue to work at finding a rational solution and an early end to the Railway Hotel saga in Kalgoorlie.

However, Mr Lewis said a possible solution would not involve the State Government using its powers under the Heritage Act to compulsorily acquire the hotel.

Mr Lewis said he was opposed to such a move because it would be too expensive and morally wrong to seize someone's property and then to on-sell it.

"I have been given verbal Crown Law advice that the Government cannot compulsorily acquire the building unless it is for a public purpose," he said.

Mr Lewis said it would cost more than a million dollars to have the building refurbished - a cost the State Government could not afford.

"What needs to be understood is that the previous government has left the State's finances in a dreadful mess with the possibility of a huge budget deficit," he said.

"Speaking realistically, there is no money available to the Government to purchase the building, even if it was inclined to do so."

Mr Lewis said the previous government had been misguided in involving itself in a dispute between the local council and the building's owner.

"While I appreciate the difficulties the council is having with the hotel's owner, it should not abrogate its responsibilities and expect the State Government to bail it out through purchasing the hotel," he said.

Mr Lewis said that if the people of Kalgoorlie and Boulder wanted the building retained then they should look to resources within the community to do so.

"As Heritage Minister, I will continue to help find a rational way of settling the dispute as soon as possible, but not through compulsory acquisition," he said.

Media contact: Paul Plowman 222 9595 : 221 1377