Mandurah MP David Templeman has lashed out at local Liberal members, calling Dawesville MP Zak Kirkup a “grim reaper” and federal MP Andrew Hastie an “obstructionist”.
Speaking at the Mandurah foreshore on Friday morning, Mr Templeman said he was sick of local members “kicking the guts out of Mandurah” and called on Mr Kirkup and Mr Hastie to put aside their bitterness and work together with the state government.
“We’ve got the grim reaper down there in Dawesville who says we’ve got nothing in the budget, which is absolute rubbish,” he said.
“And then we’ve got the federal member [Andrew Hastie] who is acting more like a member of an opposition than a member of the federal government.
“They’ve got no answers, they are just whinging and I’m sick of it.
Stop kicking the guts out of Mandurah, start standing up for it, that’s what this government is going to do.
- David Templeman.
“Stop kicking the guts out of Mandurah, start standing up for it, that’s what this government is going to do.”
Mr Templeman also slammed Mr Kirkup’s criticism over the lack of funding for mental health services in the region.
He said the state government had committed $5 million in the budget towards the long-awaited PYMS health hub and had funded the 3 Tier Youth Mental Health Program.
“The tier 3 mental health program which they refused to fund,” Mr Templeman said.
“That’s been funded by this government.”
However, Mr Templeman said he wanted to work with both Liberal members to improve the region.
“We just won the best tourism town in Western Australia earlier this week,” he said.
“There’s a whole range of things that are positive about this place and I think it’s up to the local members, on both sides of politics, to stop whinging like the Liberals are and actually get on and start promoting Mandurah as the beautiful place, the opportunistic place it is.”
Mr Kirkup said he refused to become involved in a “name-calling sideshow”.
To call another member the Grim Reaper is, to me, not really focusing on the main issues.
- Zak Kirkup.
“To call another member the Grim Reaper is, to me, not really focusing on the main issues,” he said.
“It’s my job to make sure we highlight the needs in our community, and I’m sorry if people in the government are tired of me raising the problems in Mandurah.
“In terms of health, I’m not going to defend [previous] indecision, [but] I’m focused on the future.
“They can use whatever terms they want to describe me personally, but that shouldn’t take away from the issues we face.”
Mr Kirkup said he was pleased to see the commitment made to the Peel Youth Mental Health Service, but maintained Peel Health Campus was still “crying out” for funding.
Stop flogging us with wet lettuce.
- Andrew Hastie.
Mr Hastie said Mr Templeman should “stop flogging us with wet lettuce”.
“[He] should get on with delivering infrastructure solutions for Mandurah. He is a state government minister after all.”
Mr Hastie said if anyone was obstructionist, it was the Mandurah MP.
“He campaigns for years for the Lakelands train stations and then walks away from it,” he said.
“He promises a $20 million car park, then under-funds it and puts conditions on its delivery.
“It’s laughable.”
