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What we need to fix Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields

Tom ZaunmayrKalgoorlie Miner
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Camera IconCity of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Credit: Tom Zaunmayr.

A man-made beach, free access to a central parenting area and opening up more land to reduce house prices are among ideas raised by the community to provide the shot in the arm Kalgoorlie-Boulder needs to boom again.

On the eve of State Cabinet’s arrival, Kalgoorlie-Boulder based MPs Kyran O’Donnell and Robin Scott have outlined a comprehensive list of “quick fixes” to tackle myriad issues holding the Goldfields city down.

Their plan, crowd-sourced from constituents, includes boosting the standard of health and education services, looking at overnight Prospector services to compete with airlines, freeing up extra land and bringing more courses back to the School of Mines.

One Nation Member for Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Scott said the policy paper would help the State Government understand what the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community wants.

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Hon. Robin Scott.
Camera IconHon. Robin Scott. Credit: Kelsey Reid

“Have a look at the list, talk to the people when you are in Kalgoorlie,” he said.

“Most of the items on the list we were aware of but we wanted to make sure we weren’t barking up the wrong tree. I’ll be interested to see how the Premier conducts himself in Kalgoorlie, whether it will just be nodding his head and saying yes to everything put in front of him, or really seeing what he can do for the community.”

Liberal Member for Kalgoorlie Kyran O’Donnell said he hoped the paper served as a conversation starter.

“We are hoping other people within the community and even people outside the community might have ideas or suggestions,” he said.

“Some people love to just sit behind a keyboard, go on social media and bag the City, bag councillors, bag politicians, bag community leaders and even the community itself.

“They are the ones we would love to see them get out from behind the keyboards and do something.”

Member for Kalgoorlie Kyran O'Donnell.
Camera IconMember for Kalgoorlie Kyran O'Donnell. Credit: Kalgoorlie Miner, Kelsey Reid

The release of the quick fixes list coincides with WA Premier Mark McGowan and his cabinet ministers’ visit to the region to host a Community Cabinet.

State Cabinet will fly into the Goldfields tomorrow morning and spend two days in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and surrounding towns.

The Premier and Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan will visit Laverton tomorrow before joining the rest of their colleagues for a town hall meeting from 3-5pm.

“Community Cabinets provide Ministers and I more of an opportunity to meet with local community members and organisations to hear firsthand about the issues that matter to them most,” Mr McGowan said.

“It is formal initiatives like this that enable ministers and I to see and hear from people directly and helps us promote key regional areas like the Goldfields to the rest of the State.”

Ministers will spend Monday morning locked up in a Cabinet meeting before heading out into the community for various meetings, announcements and other arrangements.

Labor Member for Mining and Pastoral Kyle McGinn said residents should use the visit as a chance to talk up the Goldfields.

Kyran and Robin’s quick fixes

READ THE LIST IN FULL HERE

  • Adopt Queensland’s model which bans 100 per cent fly-in, fly-out operations within 125km of an existing community.
  • Defray mortgages against taxation to encourage direct rental or ownership over reliance on employers for housing.
  • Provide attractive salary, accommodation, transport and utility packages to attract health specialists.
  • Allow GPs and the Hospital to work together to give GPs hands on hospital experience.
  • Deliver on the MRI promise and seek operators through the DAMA if they cannot be found locally.
  • Adopt the Teacher in Industry Placements program from the Pilbara which gives teachers direct experience of technology and skills required in the mining sector.
  • Publish all current and historical drill results to improve confidence in the region.
  • Boost parental and day care facilities, including addition of a free parent’s area in the CBD.
  • Investigate running overnight Prospector trains equipped with WiFi and reclining seats or bunks.
  • Reinstate the Department of Agriculture in the Goldfields to promote honey and sandalwood industries.
  • Free up extra land to reduce the cost of housing.
  • Establish a community fund with contributions from mining, banks, retail, supermarkets and other big businesses.
  • Build a lagoon-style swimming area, or even a body of water big enough for boating and fishing.
  • Return courses relevant to the Goldfields such as geology to the WA School of Mines.

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