Perth Voice Interactive

Authorative

THE State Government recently announced its endorsement of the Future of Fremantle Place and Economic Vision Report.

The report makes a lot of sense, though I’m sure with choices to be made, the vision will vary and evolve over time.

May I suggest that the next step towards ‘stewardship’ of the vision (ie who is going to make things happen), should be undertaken as quickly as possible.

This step would enable actioning the immediate priority of comprehensively connecting and fully integrating the Fremantle Town Centre with the Victoria Quay waterfront, a major ‘game changing’ and energising opportunity for Freo which should be undertaken without any more delay.

So, who is going to make it happen?

Implementation will require involvement of the Fremantle Council, the Port Authority and Transperth to mention just a few of the agencies involved, none of them, though, with overall authority, financial capacity and breadth of expertise to get things done in an effective, co-ordinated way to ensure the highest quality social, economic and civic outcomes.

It really needs a special purpose project agency with overarching state government authority, financial capacity, design and engineering skills to implement the Fremantle Vision plans.

I suggest that its time for a purpose designed Redevelopment Authority to get things moving. This is the next logical, immediate and important decision that needs to be taken by the State Government.

Please, no dithering. It’s long overdue and time to get on with it.

John Adderley
South Fremantle

Melville’s all fired up

AT the annual general meeting of electors on Monday February 3, the City received questions regarding the recent scrub fire in Bull Creek.

While the City cannot comment on this specific incident as it’s currently being investigated by the WA Police, I wanted to assure our community that we take our responsibilities in relation to fire prevention extremely seriously.

With the impacts of climate change being increasingly felt, we’re actively working with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and other key agencies to strengthen our emergency management preparedness as the safety of our community is our priority.

Recently, all of the City’s operational bush fire control officers underwent retraining with DFES to enhance their skills and comprehension in assessing bushfire risk.

As part of our seasonal preparedness efforts leading up to summer, the City actively promotes community-based messaging by deploying variable message signs trailers to local areas and exploring opportunities to raise bushfire awareness through various communication channels.

As of February 2025, City bush fire control officers had conducted approximately 1,400 bushfire hazard inspections since mid-November 2024 leading to a significant reduction in bushfire risk within the community.

In addition to this, our environmental teams regularly visit all of our reserves to conduct weed control, including grasses which are a major fire risk, maintain buffer zones, clear rubbish including along pathways and selectively clear plant material, noting that dead timber is required for habitat purposes and is less of a fire risk compared to grassy weeds.

Looking ahead, the City is collaborating with DFES to develop a mitigation planning strategy for fuel load reduction works, scheduled for autumn and spring of 2025 in selected areas.

The January bushfire serves as a stark reminder that fire risk is not limited to those living in bushland areas – urban residents are also vulnerable, and we encourage the community to be bushfire-ready by visiting the DFES website to find out measures they can implement to help minimise the risk of fire spreading to their property.

Katy Mair
City of Melville Mayor

Urban jungle/ urban dream

HOW is it possible in today’s landscape of talented urban planners that in Western Australia we continue to build urban jungles and not urban dreams. 

Drive across Canning Bridge and witness standards we currently endure – but why?

We all understand population increase, the need for affordable housing and right now the destruction of the urban canopy one street at a time, one local government area at a time; yet our urban planning response is based on an erroneous process of up-zoning without any genuine commitment to creating best practice liveable cities and healthy neighbourhoods. 

How is that our forefathers had the insight to build parks large and small, woven into our neighbourhoods, yet today our WAPC destroys them; not one local government area at a time but in unison. 

The truth is there is no master plan.

In the City of Melville there are currently seven stakeholder engagements all independent of each other and nothing to tie the urban landscape of the full city together, yet that’s what ratepayers are demanding instead of receiving a letter in the post “you’ve been rezoned”.

No explanations, no streetscapes, no pocket parks and a lot less green canopy. 

Millions are paid on consultants to guide one slice at a time without anything to weave this together as an extraordinary city that could be world class. 

It’s a lost opportunity for everyone; the chance for the City to create a liveable modern and vibrant city which is it stated aim.

By changing the focus the City planners would enjoy a wonderful project opportunity. 

The community would become engaged, there would be less angst for all and a lot less meeting and wasted money. 

It truly is time to lift our collective horizons on genuine strategic urban planning. Other cities can, other capitals do, so why not here?

Leonie Anderson
East Fremantle