Moves related to National Estate register unwise

3/6/93

Planning Minister Richard Lewis said today the housing futures of thousands of Western Australians would be put at risk by moves to have large parts of the suburbs of Port Kennedy, Secret Harbour and Golden Bay included on the register of the National Estate.

Mr Lewis, who is also Heritage Minister, said the proposed listing served no purpose other than to undermine investment confidence and job opportunities in one of the most rapidly expanding areas in the Perth region.

He said the listing covered more than 600 hectares of land zoned for housing, which is expected to accommodate more than 16,500 people in more than 5,500 homes.

At Secret Harbour alone, an estimated 11,000 people were expected to make their home at the ocean-side location, where more than $90 million had been committed to developing the community over the next seven years.

The proposed listing had also caused concern among other developers who were prepared to invest up to $300 million in the area.

Mr Lewis said the proposed listing was flawed because it covered existing housing areas and additional land that for many years had been set aside for future housing.

"This is just another example of the arrogance and the contempt the Commonwealth has for the State, which has its own heritage, planning, conservation and environmental laws and competence to regulate land matters," he said.

"While the Heritage Commission has no legal jurisdiction over the land, listing creates unnecessary fear that has the potential to jeopardise millions of dollars of investment and Government plans to solve the growing shortage of zoned housing land in the area."

The Minister said proposed developments in the area had been subject to extensive Environmental Protection Authority assessments and clearances which would ensure that the area was well preserved and managed in the long term.

"The heritage listing makes no provision for future management of the area and demonstrates an all care and no responsibility attitude on behalf of the Commission," he said.

"It is a case of 'big brother' interfering in something that is not its business and telling the State what to do and how to run its affairs."

Mr Lewis said the Government recognised the geomorphological and environmental uniqueness of the area and plans were well advanced to create a scientific national park on land owned by the State.

"While in opposition we were successful in having the Port Kennedy Act amended to provide that 75 per cent of stage two of the recreational development be set aside as an 'A' class reserve for conservation purposes," Mr Lewis said.

He said he would write to Federal Environment Minister Ros Kelly, outlining his concerns.

Media contact: Paul Plowman  222 9595 : 221 1377