Premier Mark McGowan’s first state budget has delivered on WA Labor’s promise to “put the shine” on the Peel region, according to Mandurah MP David Templeman.
The budget focused on increases on business taxes after fees and charges for households and seniors were increased from July 1, but included funding for election commitments made in Labor’s Plan for Peel.
Headline spending measures for the Peel region include $10 million for Mandurah’s eastern foreshore redevelopment, $45 million for Nambeelup’s Peel Business Park, a $5 million contribution to building the Peel Youth Medical Services’ Youth Health Hub and funding for the PYMS Three-Tier youth mental health program.
Mr Templeman said he was relieved the budget had not called upon households to pay more.
“I think it’s a fair, balanced budget in terms of balancing the spreading of the pain,” he said.
“For Mandurah and Peel I think we’ve delivered on our commitment and our argument that the Peel deserves to shine under the Royalties for Region scheme.
“I said it’s time for the Peel to shine and I think this budget actually sets us on that course to deliver for the region and particularly focusing on jobs, tourism and opportunities in job creation.”
But the Opposition’s Peel spokesman Zak Kirkup said there was nothing new in the budget for Mandurah or the Peel region.
“What the state government came out with in the budget has already been announced, or in some cases is actually a reduction on what was expected,” he said.
“There’s no new money for Peel Health Campus, rising crime rates and there’s no new money for Mandurah police.
“It’s a real, real shame because to me it seems like the budget has just forgotten Mandurah and the Peel region.”
Mr Kirkup said the Labor party had not delivered on its commitment to make Peel shine.
“If the Labor party said they were going to put the shine on Mandurah that absolutely hasn’t been delivered in this state budget,” he said.
“What we’ve seen here is a stripping away, a gutting of Royalties of Regions, with a significant reduction on regional infrastructure projects, with the remaining amount of money being spent on paying salaries.”
Mr Templeman pointed to projects which he said would create jobs in the region.
“The other one which is important and where we focus on the creation of jobs and enhancing the tourism opportunities is the investment in the foreshore redevelopment, that’s $10 million,” he said.
“That’s going to ensure stage two can be delivered and the CBD, the foreshore will always be a key iconic tourism attraction and with the new bridge and the fact that there’s so much potential on the western side, that’s really going to be a key lynch pin.”
Murray-Wellington MP Robyn Clarke said a government investment in both the Peel Business Park and the Kemerton Industrial Park near Bunbury would create jobs in her electorate.
“The McGowan Government’s first state budget has shown that it is following through with its election commitments to the Peel and South West regions, with over $138 million to be spent in the Peel region alone on critical infrastructure over the next four years,” she said.
“A focus of this budget was creating local jobs and opportunities, and investments in the Nambeelup and Peel Business Park and the Kemerton Industrial Park will create long-term jobs for the region.”
The budget also sets aside $16.1 million to build a multi-storey car park at Mandurah Train Station, which is less than the $20 million promised by Labor before the election.
Budget papers also reveal the building of the train station car park will depend on federal funding.
Other Peel budget measures include:
- A $2.5m sport facility upgrade to the yet-to-be completed Lakelands SHS
- $1.6m to develop a estuary protection plan for the Peel-Harvey Estuary
- $0.9m for family and domestic violence counselling in the Peel
- $350,000 to install additional CCTV Cameras at the Mandurah War Memorial