ENVIRONMENT
“Human beings have been endowed with reason and a creative power so that they can
add to what they have been given. But until now they have not been creative, but
destructive. Forests are disappearing, rivers are drying up, wildlife is becoming extinct,
the climate is being ruined and with every passing day the earth is becoming poorer and
uglier.”
– A quote from Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov in 1897
Janet’s Record
Heathcote Lowlands
– Janet worked closely with the local community, Rotary Clubs and the Save
Heathcote Action Group to ensure that 24,246 sqm of lower land was included in the Heathcote
Heritage Precinct. More than 20,000 signatures were collected on a petition that was presented to
Parliament calling for the land to be preserved as public open space. At the time, the City of
Melville had planned to allow high density housing on the site. The State Government finally
agreed to vest the land with the Council to be used for public purposes.
Old Growth Forests
– Janet is renowned for her strong stance against the logging of old growth
forests.
Wireless Hill Park
– Janet worked closely with the community and was successful in preventing the
State Government and the City of Melville from amending the Class A reserve at Wireless Park to
allow them to sell off the heritage houses.
Challenges
Logging
– Janet remains concerned that logging of native forests and the associated loss of flora
and fauna is continuing in the State’s South West. She will continue to work with environmental
groups, the Conservation Council and the Wilderness Society to ensure that the forests are not
decimated before the Government takes action to buy back contracts and stop unsustainable
logging.
Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
– Janet has called for the State Government to
establish a bipartisan committee to consider issues relating to climate change and greenhouse gas
emissions. Janet believes that all Members of Parliament should take climate change and
greenhouse gas emissions into consideration when reviewing proposed legislation so that
commitments made by the Government will be sustainable.
River foreshore
- Janet considers the river foreshore, bordering the suburbs of Mount Pleasant,
Applecross, Attadale and Bicton, to be one of the Electorate’s most precious assets. The dual
purpose pathways along these areas are coming under increasing threat as more people use them
for recreational purposes. Some of the pathways still need to be made wider to ensure that they
are safe for pedestrians, cyclists and families. Community groups such as the Friends of Attadale
Foreshore need to be given more resources to continue their valuable work in maintaining and
preserving the native trees and sedge grasses along the riverfront.
Development issues
– Janet is concerned at the fact that the City of Melville continues to push for
higher density housing throughout the Electorate and especially in the Canning Bridge Precinct,
which is already struggling under the pressure of new developments. Any new proposals must
meet community expectations and guarantee the provision of public open space and community
facilities.
Janet’s Plan
Heritage Listing
– To secure National Heritage Listing for Wireless Hill Park to better preserve its
historic buildings and unique bush land setting under the strong protection of Federal Heritage
legislation.
Third Party Appeals
– Janet has prepared a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Planning and
Development Act 2005 to allow objectors and third parties to appeal planning decisions made by
authorities such as local Councils or the WA Planning Commission. At the moment, WA is the only
State that does not allow third party appeals to planning decisions.
Carbon Neutral office
– Janet has revamped procedures in her Electorate Office to ensure more
carbon neutral practices are used in relation to energy efficiency and the electronic storage of
documents relating to community issues.
