Questions to Help in Preparing Your MRS Submission
Please select two or three questions that you can answer confidently for each Submission. Please indicate on the Submission Form if you are willing to speak at the Hearing (we hope you will)
- What values does Point Peron hold for you and your family as Bush Forever site?
- What values does Point Peron hold for the local community in its current zoning as Bush Forever?
- How do you use and interact with Point Peron?
- How will your use of Point Peron be affected by the rezoning to an urban/canal estate?
- How will the loss of Point Peron through rezoning impact on your social and recreational use of the area?
- How will the loss of Point Peron impact on your health and well-being? Point Peron provides opportunities for both land-based and sea-based exercise facilities through walking, cycling, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking et cetera. These activities serve a preventative function in terms of health and well-being and thus reduce health costs to the community.
- Why do you think the State government should abide by the 1964 Federal-State Point Peron Land Agreement that stipulated Point Peron’s use be “restricted to a reserve for recreational and/or Park lands’ is and that the land must notbe used “for private industrial, commercial or residential development”. (http://handsoffpointperon.com/impacts-issues).
- Point Peron was designated as Bush Forever site to protect the quality of the environment so that “our children and future generations will be able to appreciate and enjoy our natural heritage places.” (http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/publications/5911.asp) Please explain why you think it should be retained as a Bush Forever site and not rezoned for an urban/canal estate?
- In an open letter to Federal Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, 27 independent penguin experts listed at 12 scientifically-founded reasons why the canal estate would severely impact on the local Little Penguin population. They concluded, “the Mangles Bay Marina will have a likely impact on the viability of the Garden Island colony through dredging, removal of sea grass, potential impacts on fish abundance and increased risk of propeller strike.” (http://handsoffpointperon.com/impacts-issues)Please explain the ways you see the re-zoning could impact on the Little Penguin population and its recreational and economic value to the Rockingham region.
- What impact will the significant increase of traffic, truck movements and traffic noise during the construction phase of the canals have on you and your family? The construction is estimated to take up to 20 years and will be followed by potential ongoing traffic congestion in and out of the canal estate.
- How will the loss of public parklands impinge on you and your family? With a rapidly growing population we need more open green spaces rather than less, especially with the diversity of Point Peron.
- Canal estates can lead to exclusive homogenous housing enclaves being established, which is not supported by the West Australian Planning Commission’s Direction 2031 document that supports and promotes housing diversity within residential areas of WA. How do you see such an exclusive homogenous housing enclave may affect you, your family and the local community?
- How is your public access to the beach and waters of Mangles Bay likely to be restricted by a canal estate? The canal estate design alters roads and beach access that can adversely affect adjoining communities and beach users with exclusive foreshores for private landowners – rather than general public – benefit.
- What impacts are the noise and dust issues during up to 20 years of construction likely to have on you, your family and your use of Point Peron? Such noise, dust and restrictions on access will be generated:
- during the construction phase and
- from recreational water craft and water pumping that exceed the noise decibel requirements of the Health Act, creating additional nuisance for neighbors and additional enforcement requirements for Local Government.
- What are the health risks of a canal development to you, and your family and the community? There is potential for increased public health risks associated with mosquito borne diseases such as Ross River virus that could adversely affect the communities that adjoin a canal estate – as has occurred at Mandurah and Yunderup.
- How will the loss of public beach affect you and others? The Mangles Bay Marina will cut an entrance channel and groynes through public beach, remove Point Peron Road which currently parallels the beach and force beach access through a private residential estate.
- What impact will the loss of 44 ha of public green space mean for you? Rapidly growing populations need open green space for health, recreational, relaxation, well-being and social benefits.
- What are your thoughts on the possibility that the developer may fail to complete the canal project due to economic or other reasons? If this happens, the community will have lost its park and be left with either an ugly hole in the ground or residential development without canals.
- What do you think of a rezoning that will privatise and commercialise reserved public land for exclusive housing and a marina to benefit the few rather than the majority? Does this fit with the traditional cultural and heritage values of the site that, for generations of Western Australians, has been an affordable seaside location for family picnics, day trips and holidays.
- Several generations of Western Australians have been visiting Point Peron for picnics, holidays, camps and recreation. The canal estate will take the area from the people of Western Australia and give it to a private developer with the prime aim of making a profit by selling it to the rich few. What are your thoughts about this no longer being available to the general public regardless of socio-economic status?
- How you feel about the re-zoning of our unique coastal park? About it being lost to the State, the country and the world forever? Point Peron is an area with unique terrestrial and coastal features as well as intense and unique wildlife that is not found anywhere else in Western Australia and very few parts of the world.
- What financial impacts do you foresee the City of Rockingham’s responsibility to look after a high-cost and high-maintenance canal/housing estate will have on you and your rates? See here
- How would you express your support of the community-based vision for the Cape Peron Coastal Park instead of the rezoning to a canal/housing estate?http://cape-peron-coastal-park.com/
