The McGowan Government has distanced itself from recent comments indicating it was prepared to move Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development staff to Northam.
In a speech at Northam on May 2, Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan said she was in discussions with the DPIRD Director General to relocate the department from its current CBD headquarters.
Member for Central Wheatbelt Mia Davies welcomed the move but follow-up questions in State Parliament revealed the Minister had overstated her intention.
“The member would be aware that there was a certain amount of lightness in elements of that speech,” Ms MacTiernan told the Legislative Council on May 10.
“I was reflecting on the fact that I thought there was more capacity for some of the services of the department to perhaps be decentralised there, but it was … a general observation rather than any commitment at this point.”
Ms Davies said it was disappointing the Minister had backed away from her comments so quickly.
“The people of Northam deserve better,” Ms Davies said. “Moving DPIRD, or even parts of the department, to Northam would be a massive fillip for local businesses and I would encourage the Minister to back up her words with action.”
Ms Davies also questioned the Premier over the matter during a Budget Estimates hearing this week.
“The Premier confirmed that 10 or 15 staff may move to Northam at some time in the future, but there was no immediate plans make the transition,” Ms Davies said. “It’s not good enough.”
