Labor breaks promise to boost tourism ‘gem’


THE McGowan Government has spent not one cent of the $425 million promised in 2017 to boost tourism at heritage-listed Cossack, 50km east of Karratha.
And it shows. The rundown coastal town is among four tourist destinations singled out for funding in Labor’s ‘Plan for the Pilbara’, including the Burrup Peninsula and Millstream Chichester and Karijini national parks.
In reply to questions by Greens Mining and Pastoral Region MLC Robin Chapple, Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan, on behalf of Tourism Minister Paul Papalia, told parliament Tourism WA had included Cossack in “trade familiarisation visits” within the Pilbara region, “however, there is no specific budget allocation for the town”.
Cossack was established as the first port in WA’s North-West after Peter Lars Hedlund sailed into Butcher’s Inlet on the Harding River in 1863. His descendants, who still live in nearby Point Samson and Port Hedland, which is named after the Swedish-born mariner, have for decades lobbied local and state authorities to allow landowners to develop their freehold properties.
On June 30, the lease lapses at Cossack and management of the historic site will transfer to the State or to a third party issued with a new lease to the popular tourist stay and home of the prestigious Cossack Art Awards held in July and August.
Mr Chapple’s questions were tabled on behalf of private landowners including South Fremantle resident Terry Patterson who said Labor’s hypocrisy was having spent millions of dollars conserving buildings in nearby Roebourne, including the Victoria Hotel built in 1893. The former pub has been redeveloped into a cultural, tourism and community hub – images of which you can find on Ms MacTiernan’s Facebook page.

Out of touch

Mr Patterson said the answers to parliament reveal Ms MacTiernan and Ms Papalia’s offices are out of date and out of touch with land ownership issues and efforts to boost tourism at Cossack.
The City of Karratha already voted to walk away from the management of Cossack in March this year, as reported at www.streetwisemedia.com.au, ‘Council votes to vacate Cossack’. This contradicts Ms MacTiernan’s claim: “The State Government continues to work closely with the City of Karratha to progress future planning and use of the township with funding available for ongoing heritage maintenance at the townsite.”
At the March vote, councillors were told the City had dealt with ‘this issue’ for a long time, but it could not agree with the State on the future of the site despite, “the City’s best efforts to introduce an appropriate planning framework to enable delivery of Council’s vision for Cossack”.
Asked whether the Government had liaised with local Indigenous people about the future of Cossack, Ms MacTiernan’s office told parliament: “Tourism WA has not.”
WA Heritage Minister David Templeman’s office says ‘reactivation’ of Cossack, “is contingent on the City implementing an appropriate planning framework”. Answered above.
Had his office checked with Planning Minister Rita Saffioti’s office, Mr Templeman would have known the City of Karratha’s attempts to allow tourism developments at Cossack were curtailed in August last year when Ms Saffioti refused the City’s request to amend the town planning scheme.
When asked by Mr Chapple whether her department had liaised with local Indigenous people to discuss the future of Cossack, the minister replied: “The Government is not in discussion with private landowners regarding acquisition of freehold lots in the precinct.”
Odd answer, but correct. Both Mr Templeman and Ms MacTiernan avoided Mr Chapple’s questions regarding private land ownership at Cossack, specifically why landowners are banned from developing their freehold blocks while paying annual rates and fees to the City and the State.
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson, on behalf of Ms Saffioti’s office, has delayed answering Mr Chapple’s questions until June 16.
More Cossack reports on decades of local and state government neglect and false promises at www.streetwisemedia.com.au.