Perth Voice Interactive

SUBIACO city council has formally endorsed a plan to merge with Perth city council (as predicted in the Voice, December 14, 2013).

Subi’s first preference is to remain independent and nab a slice of Jolimont, but seeing the Barnett government is dead set on amalgamations, councillors voted “under perceived duress” to submit another option—to merge with the PCC.

If the local government advisory board recommends the merger to WA local government minister Tony Simpson it will put a spanner in the works for Vincent, which is also hoping to marry Perth.

Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi is happier merging with Subi than Vincent. She says Subi has a “very interesting” proposal “warranting diligent consideration”.

“On the surface, having Subiaco within the City of Perth appears to be more logical than having lower-density northern areas of the City of Vincent.

“If the state government were to have taken a sensible and strategic approach to expanding City of Perth it might have made more sense to include inner-city suburban areas like the centre of Subiaco, before including typically suburban areas such as Mt Hawthorn.”

Strong capital

The PCC’s preferred option is to take only a small slither of Vincent, along with Burswood, UWA and the QEII hospital.

“We firmly assert it is all about shaping a strong capital city,” Ms Scaffidi says, with the council’s hired gun Professional Public Relations selling the message that mergers are a “rare chance to shape Perth”.

Vincent mayor John Carey says “there is no logical argument that says ‘put Subiaco in, but don’t put North Perth or Mount Hawthorn in, it just doesn’t make sense”.

He says Subi’s submission—which includes splitting up his council—doesn’t allow Vincent residents to determine their own future. Submissions are due to the LGAB by March 13.

by DAVID BELL