Greens Member for North Metropolitan Region Hon Alison Xamon MLC has renewed her call to the Government to rethink plans for the design of the Montario Quarter, since LandCorp “made a mockery” of community engagement processes regarding the Shenton Park Rehabilitation Hospital site.
In Parliament this week, Ms Xamon accused LandCorp of “exactly the sort of behaviour that makes people suspicious and distrustful of Government agencies” since it requested that the clearing permit relating to the site be frozen while it pursues a subdivision application.
She said a subdivision approval was one of the ways to get an exemption on clearing of native bushland – and a clear attempt by LandCorp to ignore the 1001 submissions made against clearing the site during the public consultation period, which ended in November.
“Once the subdivision approval is in place, no approvals for clearing are required from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation,” Ms Xamon said.
“LandCorp has clearly ignored the community and environmental agencies’ clear direction to retain the bushland and is instead planning a multistorey building.
“There is no need and there is no community support for trashing this piece of bushland.
“Infill, which the Greens support, can be done sensitively and in compliance with all state planning strategies and policies – in a way that the community applauds. We have also maintained that this is a classic case of infill which can achieve both density and bushland retention, if there is also a willingness to alter the design.
“Community engagement should be taken more seriously and Landcorp needs to listen to the community.”
Alison will speak at the rally to Save Lemnos Street bush at Lemnos Street, Shenton Park at 11am on Sunday 25 March.
