The City of Mandurah has outlined its priorities in the lead up to the 2016 Federal Election.
They are:
- ‘Transform Peel’
- Tonkin Highway extension
- Eastern Foreshore Waterfront Revitalisation
- Peel Youth Medical Service Health Hub
- Port Bouvard Surf Lifesaving Club second storey
- Safer Streets - Family Friendly Foreshore project
- Murray Regional Equestrian Centre.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Newman said it was important that the City continues to lobby on these important areas to ensure the sustainable future of Mandurah, WA’s largest regional city, which is tipped to reach 123,000 by 2036.
“We’re calling on election candidates to support the City’s major projects and priorities, so that Mandurah continues to be a place that our community is proud to call home,” he said.
The City’s number one economic development priority is Transform Peel, the 20 to 30-year major regional program comprising three key components, to be located north of Pinjarra and which will include the Peel Business Park Nambeelup, Peel Integrated Water Initiative, and Peel Food Zone.
Once completed, Transform Peel is anticipated to create over 33,000 jobs, and economic output of over $16 billion.
In April, state government committed $49.3 million towards Transform Peel to enable initial headworks construction to be completed by 2020.
The City has requested an additional $20 million from the federal government to allow Transform Peel to be fully implemented, including establishment of a Peel Industry Innovation Hub.
The City has sought a joint state and federal commitment to extend Tonkin Highway, with a first stage to Mundijong Road, and second stage to Lakes Road.
The highway extension will reduce traffic congestion and improve transport linkages and access between Perth, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Rockingham and Mandurah.
It would also provide a direct and efficient freight route between Transform Peel and Perth Metropolitan Airport.
With the foreshore seawall construction underway, the City also sought joint state and federal funding for Mandurah Eastern Foreshore Waterfront Revitalisation.
The proposed foreshore revitalisation would be part of a larger vision for the much-visited city centre and foreshore precinct.
The $17m waterfront revitalisation combines the $2m Mandjar Square Redevelopment project with the $15m Eastern Foreshore Redevelopment.
An important priority outlined is the $10.7 million Peel Youth Medical Service (PYMS) Health Hub which will provide a holistic facility focused on the health and wellbeing of young people in Mandurah and the broader Peel Region.
The Health Hub aims to provide a range of specialist health services operating a shared-care model based in Mandurah, including drug and alcohol services, specialist eating disorder services, and mental health services.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, recently announced federal funding of $2 million for the PYMS Health Hub.
The $9.1 million Murray Regional Equestrian Centre will be a regional facility that meets national standards for all equestrian disciplines, servicing the needs of equestrian sports in the Peel Region.
The City and Shire of Murray are seeking $6 million Federal funding for the equestrian centre.
The Port Bouvard Surf Lifesaving Club is seeking to extend a second-storey to its Dawesville facility, at an estimated cost of $1.5 million.
In September 2015, during the Canning by-election, the Liberal Party committed $1 million towards the second storey extension.
The Safer Streets – Family Friendly Foreshore project aims to deliver a multistrategy community and social development approach to community safety concerns on Mandurah’s Western Foreshore.
The project involves installing CCTV cameras and street lighting on the Western Foreshore, developing a place activation strategy to encourage legitimate use of the foreshore, and developing an urban art project.
The Australian Government provided $250,000 for Stage 1 of the project in 2015.
During the August 2015 Canning by-election, the Liberal Party pledged a further $150,000 for Stage 2 of the project.