Hastie labels decision to make Peel part of Perth ‘a joke’

The region’s political leaders and local governments have belted the decision, saying it was out of touch and struck at the community’s regional identity.

Major projects in the City of Mandurah and large parts of the Shire of Murray, including Pinjarra, Coolup, Nambeelup and North Dandalup would not be eligible to apply for the government’s $297.7 million Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) because of the classifications.

Canning MP Andrew Hastie, who has been lobbying behind the scenes to have the decision overturned, said he was mystified by the decision and there was no way cities like Mandurah and towns like Pinjarra should be considered part of Perth.

“It’s a joke and I’m not going to stand for it,” he said.

“But I'm sure it's some faceless bureaucrat in Canberra who’s applied an algorithm which has completely neglected the realities of life in WA.

“We've had something like 40,000 people added to the Peel region in the last decade or so.

“We're playing catch-up and that's why it's important to apply for funding through this program and by cutting us out it has a big effect on morale in the region.”

State Mandurah MP David Templeman described the decision as a “massive threat to the region”.

“Not only will there be funding under threat for some major projects, but it’s about our identity,” he said.

“This bureaucratic Canberra-based decision strikes at our identity, we are the forgotten people and they have speared us through the heart.”

He said reversing the decision would be a test of the region’s leadership.

“This is about us defending our status as a region, about our identity as how we define ourselves,” he said.

“This is a disaster for us and it’s got to be reversed.”

Local government also slammed the decision.

City of Mandurah Mayor Marina Vergone said the decision defied logic.

“I cannot make any logical sense out of it, I just feel like Mandurah's been shafted as far as funding goes – again,” she said.

“No one would move to Mandurah and think they were going to be part of the Perth metropolitan region.”

Mayor Vergone said the fight to have Mandurah recognised as a region would be part of a bigger battle to put the region on the map for funding opportunities.

“This is about us saying help,” she said.

“We do need help down here, we need to have better training facilities, better hospital funding, and employment is a real issue down here.”

She said an application for the Eastern Foreshore redevelopment of up to $7 million was at risk along with a grant for the Nambeelup Transform Peel project of up to $20 million.

Shire of Murray President Maree Reid said projects in her region were also at risk, including the Pinjarra revitalisation project and the Murray Regional Equestrian Centre.

“Many of our major projects will come to a standstill and the local projects that our community groups have worked so hard on will either not happen or will only be progressed with ratepayer funding,” she said.

“This decision is especially frustrating given that the Peel Region has only received 2.9% of the Royalties for Regions funding since its inception in 2008-09, yet the region is the third largest generator of royalties in Western Australia.

“The Shire of Murray and the Peel region are in a funding black hole.

“This is of such concern as our unemployment is almost at 10% along with Mandurah at 11 per cent.”

In an extraordinary move, the government declared parts of Kwinana, Serpentine, Wanneroo and Armadale would be eligible to apply for the money.

Across the country, the Gold Coast, Woollongong and Geelong are all classified as regional and will be eligible to have projects funded by the BBRF while Mandurah and the Peel miss out.

According to a Department of Industry, Innovation and Science website, the BBRF aims to “create jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger regional communities into the future”.

A spokesperson for the Peel Development Commission said the region’s inability to apply for BBRF money would not affect the Transform Peel project in Nambeelup.

Federal regional development minister Fiona Nash has been contacted for comment.

ANDREW HASTIE SPEAKS WITH GARY ADSHEAD ON 6PR: