Category: General News

GREENS Pool will likely be closed from February as William Bay National Park undergoes the first phase of a $4.4 million renewal project.

The overhaul will see the popular beach 20km west of Denmark close intermittently throughout November and December before shutting completely following summer school holidays.

Stage one of the project will involve sealing 2.6km of Madfish Bay Road to provide parking for an additional 64 cars, 12 motorcycles and two coaches in the Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks areas.

It will also include the provision of new toilet facilities.

Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said he understood the closure might be inconvenient but that it was needed to make “essential” upgrades to the tourism hotspot.

“I would like to assure the community that disruption to people’s enjoyment will be kept to a minimum,” he said.

“William Bay National Park has such a diverse landscape, with the turquoise waters of Greens Pool as its centrepiece.

“These upgrades will go towards enhancing the visitor experience to this park that is both an environmental treasure and a tourism asset for Western Australia.”

The Park attracted nearly 300,000 visits during the 2018-19 period, an increase of about 20,000 visits compared to previous years.

Denmark-based company Nigel Palmer Earthmoving has been awarded the near $2 million contract for phase one which is expected to be completed by June.

Diversions for the Munda Biddi Trail will be in place during this time.

ALBANY Ring Road is another step closer to completion after the Government began seeking expressions of interest for work on the next stages of the project on Tuesday.

Phases two and three of the $175 million development will see a 11.5km road built from Albany Highway to Princess Royal Drive in a bid to provide a more efficient route for heavy vehicles accessing the port.

Member for Albany Peter Watson said the project would reduce the potential for safety issues on Albany’s urban road network and alleviate current conflict points on the route to the port.

“It’s really pleasing to see it move a step closer to construction,” he said.

“Helping secure the future of the Port of Albany by providing an unimpeded, high standard route to the only viable port option along this section of the south coast is a great outcome.

“This project will help create local jobs and create more opportunities for local Great Southern businesses.”

The proposed road alignment runs parallel to the east of Link Road and north of the freight rail line and Lower Denmark Road.

It includes connections to Albany Highway and Menang Drive, South Coast Highway, Cuming Road, Roundhay Street and Hanrahan Road and Frenchman Bay Road.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the project would support a growing population.

“In the longer term, Albany’s population is forecast to grow so it’s important we ensure the transport infrastructure is in place to support this growth and facilitate economic opportunities into the future,” he said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2020 subject to environmental and heritage approvals being obtained from regulatory authorities.

The project is jointly funded with the Federal Government providing $140 million and the State Government footing $35 million.

More information on the procurement process is available at www.tenders.wa.gov.au

 

 

Image: Courtesy Main Roads WA

THE launch of a new waste management service in Albany could be postponed by around six months at next Tuesday’s council meeting.

Councillors will vote on deferring the kerbside Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection service from its original January start date to the first quarter of the 2020-21 financial year.

City Waste Project Officer Julie Passmore wrote in a report tabled at a Development and Infrastructure Services Committee meeting on November 13 that the City currently had “no facility capable of accepting FOGO waste”.

“The City’s current Greenwaste Processing Contractor is implementing the modifications required by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) to permit them to accept, transport and process food waste,” she wrote.

“It is unlikely that the modifications to the facility, approvals and contractual changes will be in place by January 2020.”

Council initially resolved to adopt the service requiring Albany residents to separate their food and garden organics into their green bins in May.

It was implemented with the aim of diverting waste from landfill, reducing emissions associated with decomposing food and improving community waste and recycling habits.

Executive Director of Infrastructure, Development and Environment Paul Camins said the City had a responsibility to ensure all requirements are in place before the service begins.

He noted the delay could allow the service to be implemented alongside the Better Bins program, which allocates $30 per urban household to ensure all bin lids in urban residential collection areas are consistent with Australian standard colours.

The City was last month notified it would receive more than $450,000 in DWER funding for the program.

“Bin lids and caddies for FOGO would be delivered together, reducing delivery and component costs,” Mr Camins said.

“Rather than sending out two separate sets of communication at different times, amalgamating the rollout … will allow the City to combine communication materials.

“Delivering one project instead of two separately will also consolidate a range of other costs associated with project delivery.”

THE Shire of Denmark admitted during their monthly council meeting on Tuesday night to breaching a state privacy regulation during the recent local election.

During the September 17 council meeting, resident John Sampson asked the Shire whether ratepayers’ private information had been “unnecessarily divulged” in the Owners and Occupiers Roll given to election candidates earlier this year.

Candidates running for Council during a local election are given a copy of the Owners and Occupiers Roll for their locality that is compiled by the WA Electoral Commission (WAEC).

The official roll includes the name, address and date of birth for each elector in order to check for duplications when consolidating with the State Electoral Roll.

The roll is usually altered by the Shire for each candidate in order to not disclose the date of birth in accordance with Regulation 16 of the Local Government (Elections) Regulations to protect the privacy of voters.

Shire Acting Chief Executive Officer David Schober said after it was discovered that candidates had received the original copy of the roll and not the redacted copy, the Shire advised the WAEC as soon it was aware of the breach and ordered the Returning Officer to recall the list from all candidates and conducted an internal review.

A member of the WAEC media team said the maintenance and provision of the information in the Owners and Occupiers roll is the responsibility of the CEO of each Local Government under the Local Government Act 1995.

“The matter has not been formally brought to the attention of the Acting Electoral Commissioner and such administrative functions performed by a local government fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, not the Commission,” they said.

A spokesperson from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries said non-compliance with Regulation 16 does not create an offence under the Local Government Act 1995 or associated regulations, and that the non-compliance was an uncommon occurrence.

REGIONAL Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan was told of Carnegie Clean Energy’s “unsatisfactory” financial position 21 days before she approved a multi-million dollar payment to the company, new documents have revealed.

Nationals MP Terry Redman presented two briefing notes to State Parliament last Thursday that he said showed Ms MacTiernan had been “ignoring a high-risk independent financial viability assessment of Carnegie Clean Energy commissioned by her department”.

One of the documents was written on September 14, 2018, three weeks before the minister approved a $2.625 million milestone payment to Carnegie on October 5 to aid the construction of Australia’s first commercial wave farm in Albany.

“Seeking an independent assessment, [the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development] commissioned a Financial Viability Assessment (Report) on Carnegie,” it read.

“[It] rated its financial position to be ‘unsatisfactory’ and scored it 1.6 out of a possible 10.”

Mr Redman, who obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information request, said they were initially partly redacted.

He called on Premier Mark McGowan to remove Ms MacTiernan from Cabinet.

“The issue here is that the minister has been hiding this. She had to be dragged kicking and screaming to put this stuff on the table,” he told Parliament.

“The minister could have used default provisions available to her in the financial assistance agreement to shut it down.”

The second briefing note referenced by Mr Redman was written on October 1, 2018 and signed by Ms MacTiernan four days later.

It stated Carnegie had “provided evidence of a project spend of $1.3 million” and was “holding off on making further significant investments” until there was greater certainty around financing.

“Briefing notes we have in our hands say that Carnegie Clean Energy spent only $1.3 million on the project and would not spend any more, but the Minister decided to pay it $2.625 million on the same day,” Mr Redman said.

“It was not being paid for what it had done; it was being paid for commencing something.”

Ms MacTiernan told the Weekender the independent assessment “was not ignored”.

“It was taken into consideration and risks appropriately managed,” she said.

“The assessment was based on publicly available information. At the time Carnegie remained solvent and a going concern.”

Ms MacTiernan noted the Department received legal advice the State could be at risk if it did not make payment to Carnegie for work already completed.

“We halved the first payment and requested a funding plan. We required our funding to be placed in a separate account,” she said.

The State Government terminated a $16 million contract with Carnegie to build the wave farm, originally promised in 2017, in March this year.

At the time, Ms MacTiernan reported the financial plan requested from Carnegie in February revealed it was “unlikely to meet those obligations” to invest $25.5 million into the project.

She said on Monday her Department had now recovered $1.3 million of the initial funding and noted there were “ongoing public benefits” from the work completed.

A GROUP of Albany singers will join forces with internationally-recognised performer Matt Ward this weekend to raise money to present a mass choir performance next year.

The performance, By Other Eyes will shine a light on the efforts of Indigenous soldiers during both world wars.

Last year, Ward was commissioned to create a community engagement singing project to be performed at Bruce Munro’s Field of Light installation to commemorate the centenary of Armistice Day.

He worked with multiple choirs and community members from across the Great Southern and thanks to its popularity and success, the By Other Eyes project will be staged again next year at the Perth Concert Hall and Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre.

The UWA Conservatorium of Music Symphony Orchestra and Choir will perform alongside the By Other Eyes singers.

Ward said By Other Eyes was all about the importance of family and homeland.

“It is told from the perspective of a WWI soldier from Albany,” he said.

“Of particular importance is how By Other Eyes brings recognition to returned Aboriginal soldiers from WWI and WWII who were so badly discriminated against when they returned from service.

“In 2018, I worked with Eliza Woods, Averil Dean and Lester Coyne to help bring this important story to light.

“What amazed me was how, despite how badly their families have been treated, these three Elders wanted to share a message of solidarity and hope in a better and shared future for all.”

The fundraiser event planned for this Saturday, November 16 at the Albany Entertainment Centre is called Shoal and was performed in Perth last weekend.

The Albany show will feature local talents Rachael Colmer, Maggie and William Staude, Thomas Croucher, Matthew and Rebekah Quicke, Jarrad Inman, Sheyan and Shantay Tidswell, Eliza Woods and Rob Castiglione.

The concert commences at 6.30pm in the entertainment centre’s Harbourside Foyer.

Tickets are available for purchase online at trybooking.com/BFPSV or at the door.

PLANS for a new bush fire brigade comprised of Pardelup prison inmates and staff have been temporarily put on ice following a surprise development at last week’s Council meeting.

Plantagenet councillors were unable to vote on Item 9.4.4, which recommended the formation of the Pardelup Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade, because it was removed from the agenda at the last minute.

Plantagenet CEO Rob Stewart said the move was the result of legal advice received by the Department of Justice.

“I am not privy to that advice but hope to put the matter back up for Council consideration as soon as possible,” he said.

In a report prepared prior to the meeting, Mr Stewart noted a brigade “attached to a prison” was “markedly different” to the Shire’s other brigades.

He noted there was a potential of conflict between the Bush Fires Act 1954 and the Prisons Act 1981.

“The potential conflict I referred to related to provisions in the Bush Fires Act that puts volunteer brigade personnel under the supervision of the Chief Bush Fire Control Officer,” he told the Weekender.

“This could create issues with the duties of prison officers and the Prisons Act with relation to prisoners.

“Hopefully this wouldn’t be an issue though as we restricted the operational area of the brigade to the boundaries of the prison.”

The idea to form a volunteer brigade made up of inmates and staff was first floated by Pardelup Prison Superintendent Jodi Miller at a September 18 meeting of Shire representatives and others.

Mr Stewart said Ms Miller was “very keen for the prison to be pulling its weight” with the suppression of fires in the area and believed the brigade would assist reintegration of the inmates nearing the end of their sentences.

“Should the Council be able to create the brigade, we would like to get it established and operating immediately, subject to adequate training of brigade members and issuing of personal protective equipment,” he said.

“The prison already has an old fire fighting appliance and we would expect it would need to be replaced.

“We would expect the brigade to be especially useful with mopping up activities and fuel reduction burns.”

PLANTAGENET Medical Centre is set to significantly expand next year after Council unanimously voted to develop eight new consulting rooms at the site last Wednesday.

The additions will bring the overall floor size of the building on Lot 530 Marmion Street and Langton Road in Mount Barker from 566sqm to 713.2sqm and increase the total number of consulting rooms to 23.

Shire Executive Manager of Strategic Development Andrus Budrikis said the extension would allow Albany-based Pioneer Health, which took over the lease of the centre in 2017, “to expand the services they provide to the region”.

“The Shire has engaged architects Roberts Gardiner to prepare construction documentation and administer the building contract,” he said.

“Tenders for the construction will be held in December.”

If all goes as planned, work on the additions is expected to begin in March and finish approximately three months later.

It is predicted to cost around $420,000, which the Shire set aside in the 2019/20 annual budget.

The Plantagenet Medical Centre was originally built by the Shire in 2009 for approximately $1.48 million and was partly funded by a grant and a loan from Mount Barker Community Bank.

Shire Principal Planning Officer Vincent Jenkins noted in his recent report to Council that the facility was a “critical piece of infrastructure” for the district.

He highlighted 2016 census data that showed Plantagenet’s population was statistically older than the state regional average, with the largest population age group aged between 55 and 69.

“Approximate health service provision is essential to ensuring older people can age in their homes,” he wrote.

“The provision of infrastructure to facilitate service provision will support older residents to stay in their homes … [and] are likely to extend the life of the facility.”

YOUTH from across the state will converge in Albany next week to share and learn more about each other’s cultures.

Kinjarling Djinda Ngardak – translating to Albany Comes Alive Under the Stars – will see Indigenous teenagers who share a passion for food have first-hand experience working in the food industry.

They will forage and collect food from the Indigenous country of Albany, Menang country, and by doing so, learn about the Menang culture.

They will then prepare and serve the food at a gala dinner on November 23.

Elder Vernice Gillies said this event was extremely important culturally as the youth from different Indigenous backgrounds had very diverse foods, practices and languages.

“For some kids, English is their second language,” she said.

“But they are all the same age, so they connect on their own level such as with the music they listen to.

“By the end of the program, they are using sign language which each other or teaching the language to each other – they have a ball.”

Ms Gillies said the event took an immense amount of organising because it included arranging students to travel from as far as Kununurra – a whopping 3600km away – to be involved.

“They will be staying on country that’s not their own, so it will be a chance for them to learn the stories of our place, about our bush food … it’s about learning and sharing,” she said.

“A lot of these kids come from flat country so the scenery here will be very different to them.”

Since the Djinda Ngardak program began in 2017, Albany has hosted it twice.

Ms Gillies said going into the future, the program organisers were working to make Albany the host every year.

Renowned chefs Reece Lardi, Paul Oskov, Rogan Parks, Melissa Palinkas and Anna Gare will be in attendance during the program to mentor the students in their culinary masterclasses.

Menang Elders will also participate during activities on-country to facilitate the exploration of traditional plants and ingredients, as well as teach about Menang culture.

The gala dinner on November 23 will be held at the Albany Entertainment Centre and begin at 5.30pm.

ALBANY’s 100th Remembrance Day service on Monday was made extra special with the attendance of a former AFL player and Order of Australia recipient.

Former Carlton player Doug Baird OAM, the father of Australia’s fourth Victoria Cross for Australia recipient Cameron Baird, gave the formal address at the Albany RSL Remembrance Day Service and spoke of the bravery and strength of Australian soldiers.

Mr Baird is responsible for Cam’s Cause, a charitable organisation that raises money to support returned soldiers in honour of his late son, killed in action in Afghanistan six years ago.

Cameron Baird fought in Operation Slipper, Falconer, Bastille and Tanager while in Afghanistan, Iraq and Timor-Leste between 2001 and 2013.

For his efforts, he was also awarded the Australian Army Medal for Gallantry, Australian Active Service Medal and the NATO Meritorious Medal, among 10 other medals.

This week marked the first time Mr Baird had visited Albany for a service and said it was an honour to be involved.

“It’s terribly important to me to come to services like this,” he said.

“We can’t do anything for Cam anymore, but we can for others.”

Mr Baird regularly travels the world as a motivational and inspirational speaker, spreading the word of his son’s legacy and the charity created in his memory.

He spoke at the centenary commemoration of the Battle of Lone Pine in Gallipoli four years ago and has met the Queen of England and her family on several occasions.