Local says Kalgoorlie-Boulder needs a building to honour the role it played in WA joining the Federation

A local community stalwart says the Federal Government needs to pay for a monumental building in Kalgoorlie-Boulder to honour the role it played in WA joining the Federation of Australia. Jeff Jones, alongside his wife, Faye Jones, proposed the council-owned Brookman Street opening off St Barbara’s Square — the old Coles and Kmart complex — would be suitable for the display. “I am sure the Chamber of Commerce would support this project to inject life into the centre of the town,” Mr Jones said. Mr Jones, who has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his contributions to the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community, said the national recognition of WA’s contributions to Federation was “pathetic”. “Every day, millions of dollars find their way over east,” he said. “They, the Eastern States, saw WA as a dead duck. Now, of course, the black swan laying golden eggs. “Albany has a monument to recognise the departure of troops to the Middle East and Gallipoli. Geraldton has a monument to the sinking by a German raider of the Destroyer Sydney.” Mr Jones said the local monument would honour the contribution WA’s resources made to Federation over the years. It would also highlight the State as the fourth place in the world to give women the right to vote, and the building of the Trans-Australian Railway — a condition for WA to join the Federation — which linked Kalgoorlie with Port Augusta in South Australia. Mr Jones said he knew a Boulder businessman who was prepared to put $10,000 towards a monumental bust of Sir John Kirwin—– the editor and part-owner of the Kalgoorlie Miner — who pushed the reluctant State Government to join the Commonwealth in 1900. He was the leader of the “Federate or Separate” movement, creating a petition of 27,000 signatures proposing that the Eastern Goldfields should break away from WA to join the Commonwealth, if WA did not get on board. “John Kirwin — we salute you,” Mr Jones said. “Joining the entire huge State of WA to the other States with all its mineral resources and huge agricultural industries. “Future generations probably won’t know this story, so a suitable monument should be established.”