Attempts to preserve the state’s three remaining timber jetties from Nationals WA Members of Parliament Peter Rundle and Vincent Catania have been hamstrung by a lack of resources being made available by the Labor Government.
Mr Rundle and Mr Catania had commenced the process for protecting the Esperance, Carnarvon and Busselton jetties through legislation, but this came to a halt after they received advice from the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office that the office was too busy giving priority to drafting Government legislation to allocate resources to this bill.
Mr Rundle said that the legislative drafters were meant to be available for the use of all parties, not just the Government.
“It is quite unusual that legislators are simply not made available to Members of Parliament, and clearly the Government are failing to understand how urgent it is to protect these structures.
“Without enshrining the protection of these jetties in legislation, I fear that we will lose these important heritage assets as they simply fall in to the sea.”
The Esperance, Carnarvon and Busselton jetties are an important aspect of WA’s heritage, and the proposed legislation would ensure the jetties were maintained and their history preserved.
Mr Rundle said the Esperance Jetty had been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair that required immediate attention to restore this iconic structure to its former glory.
“Since its construction in 1935 the Esperance Tanker Jetty has been a key piece of infrastructure for the region, from its use as an agricultural and mining export dock to a tanker jetty to its most recent incarnation as a recreational and tourism facility,” Mr Rundle said.
“I firmly believe the jetty can be restored, and the timely introduction of this legislation would have ensured its future.
“Instead of acting in the best interests of our important heritage and cultural fabric, the Government are prioritizing their city-centric agenda.”
