Perth Voice Interactive

A-pointed!

YOUR story on the appointment of former Vincent mayor Emma Cole to the position of chair of the WAPC raises a couple of interesting points (“Ex-mayor to head WAPC,” Perth Voice, December 14, 2024).

Apart from the obvious questions about possible ‘jobs for mates’, and whether due process has been followed, the appointment seems to be a slap in the face for the WA planning profession, and suggests a lack of self-confidence by minister John Carey.

By appointing a close friend and former workmate to the position, minister Carey seems to have overlooked the many capable and highly experienced members of the WA planning profession, and seems to be politicising a position that should be independent and able to give frank and fearless advice.

I’ve seen competent and highly experienced DAP members who would be on par with the outgoing WAPC chair, both in terms of long-term experience and ability. But they’ve been overlooked at a time when WA needs to get planning right, with the risk that all we’ll get is populist sound-bites.

I think that the choice also demonstrates that minister Carey might be frightened of having to deal with someone who might question his inclinations, and therefore settled for a like-minded person who is unlikely to rock the boat or challenge him intellectually or professionally.

The minister claimed more than once in his press release that Ms Cole has lots of planning experience – but does she really? Her experience started as a local government representative on the DAP, but she gave that up after a couple of years.

One of her attempted contributions to the current Local Planning Scheme was a proposal to only allow not-for-profit operators to manage the childcare centre at the Macedonian Centre, as if that’s a planning issue.

But probably the most telling episode was the impassioned, March 2016, motion that comrades Carey and Cole moved against DAPS and how undemocratic they were.  She was so fired up she needed more than the normal five minutes to get it all out.

[Where was that] passion when she was appointed to the WAPC to represent local government – she was happy to toe the party line, on what effectively was a super DAP, [which regularly] dismissed arguments from local government representatives, both elected and professional.

Looking after mates is one thing, but this has taken it to a new level. Emma Cole is a competent bureaucrat and surely a more appropriate job could be found for her.

Dudley Maier
Highgate

Editor’s note: This letter has been edited.