Legislation that will permanently protect the Beeliar wetlands last night passed through the Legislative Assembly.

The Metropolitan Region Scheme (Beeliar Wetlands) Bill 2018 seeks to amend the zoning of 34 hectares of land under the Metropolitan Region Scheme from Primary Regional Roads to Parks and Recreation.

The McGowan Government made an election commitment to protect the Beeliar wetlands following strong community calls for the area to be protected for future generations.

Western Australians gave the McGowan Government a clear mandate not to build Roe 8 and 9, to restore the Beeliar wetlands, and return the land for the community to enjoy.

Since then the State Government has reallocated Perth Freight Link funding to 17 alternative road projects across Perth, creating 6,000 jobs. It has also increased the amount of freight on rail from 15 per cent to 23 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Westport Taskforce shortlist for future port options all involve an outer harbour, reinforcing the fact that Roe 8 and 9 will not solve WA’s future freight challenges.

“The Bill will now move to the Legislative Council, where support is needed to make this law,” said Transport and Planning Minister Rita Saffioti.

“I ask the members of the Legislative Council to support this Government’s mandate and respect the local community’s wishes.

“This is the time to move on from old plans and start moving towards the best solution for our State – building an outer harbour and protecting the Beeliar wetlands.

“The work by Westport so far suggests that continually expanding the Fremantle Inner Harbour, along with the surrounding transport network, doesn’t stack up financially due to the many constraints in the surrounding area.

“We are continuing to implement our plan to put more freight on rail, creating more intermodal transport opportunities and upgrading High Street in Fremantle.”

State Member for Fremantle Simone McGurk said, “The Perth Freight Link never stacked up. It was exceptionally poor planning, and would’ve done irreparable damage to our environment and local communities.”

“The people of WA saw through the PFL and elected the McGowan Labor Government.

“The Liberals now need to respect that mandate and support this bill in the Upper House, so our State can put this sorry debacle behind us.”

Premier Mark McGowan today announced 189 Royal Street in East Perth, home to staff from the departments of Communities and Health, will be renamed the May Holman Building in honour of the trailblazing politician.

May Holman was the first woman from the Labor Party to be elected to an Australian Parliament, and is widely credited with introducing some of the first pieces of worker health and safety legislation anywhere in the world.

She won the State seat of Forrest, centred on Dwellingup, five times and served 14 years in State Parliament.

Her life was tragically cut short after a car crash the day before the 1939 State election. She stayed alive until the following Monday, when she was told that she had been re-elected – two hours before she passed away.

May Holman was deeply committed to improving society – she advocated for workers and their families alike.

In 1926 she introduced the Timber Industry Act, which legislated to improve the living and working conditions of men employed at timber mills across Western Australia.

Among Ms Holman’s many admirers was former prime minister John Curtin, who was a pallbearer at her funeral and once said of his WA party colleague: “I can only say her life was magnificent.”

There is a road and reserve in Bassendean named in her honour. A former government-owned building that bore her name was renamed Golden Square in 2015 when purchased by a private company.

“May Holman was deeply committed to improving society – she advocated for the workers and their families alike,” said Premier Mark McGowan.

“She was a trailblazer for women across this nation and deserves better recognition here in her own home State.

“Many years ago, the Government had a building that bore her name. Unfortunately, this was sold and the name changed.

“This year, my Labor Government is righting that wrong and giving Ms Holman the recognition her life deserves.”

Women’s Interests Minister Simone McGurk said, “May Holman was an incredible woman – a pioneer at the age of 31, she was the first female Labor parliamentarian in Australia and won her seat five times.

“Her historic election to State Parliament in 1925 blazed a new trail in Australian politics that enabled other women, including myself, to follow in her footsteps.

“To date, Western Australia has not done enough to publicly acknowledge significant women in its history.

“The May Holman Building will ensure that Ms Holman’s commitment to civil service and significant contributions to WA are not forgotten.”

More women are being encouraged to pursue a career in fire management following the release of an action plan by the State’s premier land management agency.

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ Parks and Wildlife Service has launched its Women in Fire Management Action Plan 2019-22, promoting gender diversity in the workforce.

This plan aims to increase female representation in fire management and encourages women to get involved in an industry that has been traditionally male dominated.

Currently only five per cent of frontline firefighter positions and 17 per cent of fire management positions are held by women at Parks and Wildlife Service.

The action plan has set a target of between 20 and 30 per cent of women in frontline and fire management roles, and 10 per cent of women in fire leadership positions by 2024.

Parks and Wildlife Service is responsible for fire mitigation and suppression on over 100 million hectares of land across Western Australia, including national parks and reserves and unallocated Crown land.

The action plan is available here.

“The McGowan Government is committed to providing equal opportunities for all to progress their careers – particularly in traditionally male-dominated occupations like fire management,” said Environment Minister Stephen Dawson.

“Setting the foundation for more diversity in fire management will assist Parks and Wildlife Service in improving productivity, performance and capability of all staff.

“Ultimately, providing more leadership opportunities for women is a good thing for the entire community and will have positive outcomes for fire management in Western Australia.”

Women’s Interests Minister Simone McGurk said, “This action plan sets targets to ensure it delivers real results for women’s representation and equity in fire management.

“I ask everyone to consider the role they can play in achieving gender equality, because we all want a Western Australia where every woman has the opportunity to fulfill her potential.

“It has been demonstrated that increased gender diversity in leadership roles leads to better decision-making and improves culture and morale.”

The independent Westport Taskforce has released its shortlist of five port and supply chain options for managing Perth’s growing long-term freight requirements, all of which feature a new port being established in the Kwinana Outer Harbour.

Westport’s evidence-based assessments ranked 25 different options featuring the ports at Fremantle, Bunbury and Kwinana against each other. The shortlist features the options that were awarded the highest scores across a range of important criteria, including capital costs and social and environmental impacts.

Three shortlisted options feature container operations – all of which are currently managed at Fremantle – being moved to a new port in Kwinana. Two further options propose sharing the container-handling task between Fremantle and Kwinana, or transitioning over a longer period of time.

Several Fremantle-only options were assessed in Westport’s process but rated poorly due to significant economic and social impediments. The analysis reinforced that a standalone Fremantle Inner Harbour would not stack up in the medium to long-term, even with Roe 8 and 9.

Westport highlights that even when factoring in a range of major road corridor upgrades, worth billions of dollars, the Fremantle Inner Harbour’s transport network will reach capacity by the mid-2030s – meaning planning and design of an Outer Harbour must start now.

Building a new port may take up to ten years to deliver, making the work of Westport crucial to determining the best long-term solution.

Westport also assessed four Bunbury options, but distance from Perth, high capital costs and port depth constraints prevented them from making the shortlist.

Westport is now focused on the next stages of its process, which will determine the top-performing option for the State’s long-term requirements. The detailed timings, location, scale and costs of the new port will also be confirmed.

Further details of Westport’s shortlist are available here.

“An efficient port with modern transport linkages is essential to the economic life of our State,” said Ports Minister Alannah MacTiernan.

“Westport’s work supports this Government’s commitment to plan for a new port at the Outer Harbour for the long-term development of our State.

“The plan to build a second major port at Kwinana has existed since the Stephenson-Hepburn Plan back in the 1950s. This is not new thinking; the Outer Harbour port has been supported by both sides of Government for decades. Westport’s work confirms that this remains the best option.

“Westport’s process is based on research, consultation and data. The shortlist was developed based on evidence and input from stakeholders and the community. It includes options that would see an ongoing role for Fremantle.

“While Bunbury did not make the shortlist, other opportunities to expand the port and local industry were identified by Westport. These will now be progressed by Southern Ports, the Department of Transport and local stakeholders.”

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, “Investing in a new Outer Harbour or upgrading Fremantle Inner Harbour is one of the biggest investment decisions a State Government can make, so we need to ensure all options have been explored.

“The work by Westport so far suggests that continually expanding the Fremantle Inner Harbour, along with the surrounding transport network, doesn’t stack up financially due to the many constraints in the surrounding area.

“Importantly, Westport found that even with another six unfunded major road upgrades, the network to Fremantle Port won’t cope by the mid-2030s, so it’s imperative that we plan now and have the Outer Harbour operating before then.

“In the short term the McGowan Government continues to alleviate pressure on roads by moving freight on rail, developing intermodals, upgrading High Street and building the new Fremantle Traffic and Rail Bridge.

“This is a coordinated freight and transport plan that will serve Western Australia for generations to come, will help grow the economy and support new industry.

“The continued funnelling of freight trucks to Fremantle and the western suburbs through built up residential areas does not make sense. In particular, as there is already $1 billion allocated to the next improvements of Tonkin Highway, including the extension to Mundijong.”

State Member for Fremantle Simone McGurk said Westport’s shortlist confirms what we already knew – that WA will soon need a second port to handle our freight needs.

“They’ve narrowed proposals down to the five strongest options taking account of environmental impact, cost and land use compatibility

“While our opponents continue to fight old battles about road plans from the fifties, the McGowan Labor Government is getting on with planning for our future.”

The long-awaited extension of the Fremantle Line Principal Shared Path from Grant Street to Victoria Street in Mosman Park is now complete, adding almost 3km of new path.

Funding to build the missing link on the Fremantle Line PSP was brought forward in the McGowan Government’s 2018-19 Budget, allowing construction of the project to start in January 2019.

The completion of the 2.8km extension, that used to stop at Grant Street in Cottesloe, means cyclists no longer need to share a busy stretch of Curtin Avenue with cars and trucks.

This means there is now a high quality, off-road path all the way from Midland in the eastern suburbs to Perth CBD and now to Victoria Street Station in Mosman Park.

A new PSP underpass at the Eric Street Bridge in Cottesloe, also helps pedestrians and cyclists avoid conflict with traffic at Curtin Avenue.

Minor works and landscaping will continue in the area over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the next stage of the Fremantle Line PSP upgrade project is currently under design and will involve building a further 2km of path between Victoria Street and North Fremantle Station. The design will be completed this financial year and service relocations will commence soon.

As part of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge replacement project, the third stage will see the Fremantle Line PSP extended from North Fremantle Station, across Tydeman Road and the Swan River.

Planning has also commenced on the final stage between the Swan River and Fremantle town centre.

“Now that this new section of the Fremantle Line PSP project is complete, I encourage the community to get their bike or scooter or lace up their running shoes and give it a go,” said Transport Minister Rita Saffioti.

“We recognised the connectivity and safety benefits of extending the Fremantle Railway PSP, and we made sure the funds were available earlier to get it moving.

“I know the communities around the new path have been waiting many years for this so I hope to see lots of commuters, visitors and local families along the path, particularly as the weather warms up.

“This is all part of the McGowan Government’s $146 million cycling investment and goal to complete the PSP network within 15km of the CBD. Works are also underway on the Armadale Line, Mitchell Freeway and Kwinana Freeway.

“We are committed to providing safe and continuous riding and walking facilities to the community and closing the missing links on the PSP network, and the completion of this section will allow more people to enjoy the benefits of active transport.”

State Member for Fremantle Simone McGurk said, “It’s great to see the Freo line PSP really taking shape.

It will deliver a smoother, safer ride and walk to the beach, the western suburbs and the city.”

The McGowan Government is launching ’20 Lives, 20 Homes Freo’ to give vulnerable people sleeping rough in Fremantle a pathway out of homelessness.

Acknowledging the complex needs of people experiencing homelessness, the two-year program aims to provide the permanent housing and support services they need to build solid foundations for a better future.

It is based on the successful ’50 Lives, 50 Homes’ program that housed more than 147 rough sleepers in Perth over three years.

An independent evaluation of that program, which began in 2015, found 88 per cent of participants were still in housing three years later, they spent less time in hospital and – among those who had offended prior to being housed – the number of offences committed fell significantly.

The ’20 Lives, 20 Homes Freo’ project will be funded in partnership with the City of Fremantle and the private sector, which raised almost $1 million from a small number of individuals with Fremantle connections.

A number of community service organisations will provide wraparound services, with outreach and intensive support to be delivered by St Patrick’s Community Support Centre and after-hours services to be provided by Ruah Community Services.

The State Government will contribute $395,000 to trial a private rental subsidy that will give people experiencing homelessness a new way to access housing.

The program will tap into the private rental market, with properties to be leased and managed by community housing provider Foundation Housing.

Participants will be charged weekly rent, but it will be subsidised at a similar rate to that applied to social housing properties – 25 per cent of household income.

The housing-first approach is backed up by evidence and has been consistently raised in the development of the State’s first 10-year homelessness strategy, which is due for release later this year.

“It can be easy to forget that the collection of blankets and jackets in a sheltered doorway is hiding a person whose dreams and goals in life have given way to hopelessness and homelessness,” said Community Services Minister Simone McGurk.

“Homelessness is not who these people are – it is something they are experiencing at this point in time.

“The ’20 Lives, 20 Homes’ program takes a housing-first approach and will help people experiencing homelessness get a roof over their head, which is an important first step.

“But it will also connect them with the support services that can get them out of homelessness permanently.

Housing Minister Peter Tinley said, “This announcement demonstrates what can be achieved when governments and the private and community services sectors work together to make a difference for people experiencing homelessness.”

“I’m proud that we were able to include an initiative to trial a rental subsidy scheme, to give people appropriate accommodation and immediate support when they need it.”

The McGowan Government’s ‘No Jab, No Play’ policy is effective from today (July 22), meaning any child who is not fully vaccinated can be excluded from being enrolled in childcare services and kindergarten programs (non-compulsory early education and care).

These changes will improve Western Australian vaccination rates to achieve optimal coverage. Children are vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases and are a major source of their transmission.

Exceptions will apply to children with approved medical exemption to a vaccine, or with natural immunity to a specific disease; those on an approved catch-up schedule and those identified as exempt because of particular family circumstances.

In 2018, the State’s immunisation coverage was lower than the national average for one, two and five-year-olds, with two-year-olds in WA recording the lowest immunisation coverage of 90.2 per cent.

New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland have already introduced similar laws, and South Australia is planning to proceed in the near future.

An immunisation rate of 95 per cent is considered necessary to provide ‘herd’ immunity to even the most infectious vaccine-preventable diseases in our community, providing protection to those who are too young to be vaccinated, pregnant women, children with immune disorders and some cancer patients, for whom these diseases can be extremely serious.

Vaccines delivered through the WA childhood immunisation program are provided free by the State Government through the National Immunisation Program, protecting children from 16 vaccine-preventable diseases. For more information, visit the HealthyWA website.

Parents can check their child’s immunisation history on the Medicare Australia website.

“Vaccination saves lives; it is that simple,” said Health Minister Roger Cook.

“The McGowan Government is committed to improving the health of all Western Australians.

“These legislative changes will align WA with other States and assist to reduce the spread of vaccine-preventable disease within the community.

“These changes will also allow the Department of Health to help those families who have not fully vaccinated their children, by providing support to do so.”

Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery said, “WA lags behind other States in Australia in rates of immunisations for young children so these changes will ensure the safety of WA schoolchildren.

“These measures will lift the immunisation rates in WA amongst young children aged five years and under.”

Community Services Minister Simone McGurk said that most childcare organisations and families using childcare understand the need to ensure children are vaccinated.

“This is a matter of public safety and I am pleased the Parliament has passed this important legislation.

“Importantly, this change includes supports, particularly for vulnerable or disadvantaged families, to bring their children’s immunisations up to date.”

 Local architects and urban planners joined the Victoria Quay Steering Group today to workshop ideas for built form, spaces and uses at the historic waterfront precinct.

Victoria Quay Steering Group Chair and State Member for Fremantle, Simone McGurk, convened the workshop to harness local talent and expertise in the development of a vision for Victoria Quay.

The workshop was led by UWA Design School’s Professor Geoffrey London.

Major firms Cox, Kerry Hill, the Fulcram Agency, Slavin, and spaceagency were represented amongst others.

The Victoria Quay Steering Group continues its work to drive forward plans to transform the area into a vibrant, people-oriented waterfront precinct.

Simone McGurk identified relocating imported vehicles as an early priority to open up more dynamic uses of the space to the east of the passenger terminal.

Ports Minister Alannah MacTiernan said that industry had previously expressed interest in moving car imports to Kwinana, and that the Government had established a market led proposal process that gives industry an opportunity to bring this and other proposals forward.

“With so much architectural talent in Fremantle and WA, we were keen to hear from best and brightest about how we can best realise the enormous potential of Victoria Quay,” said State Member of Fremantle Simone McGurk.

“Their contributions will guide the steering group going forward as we work towards transforming our waterfront over the short, medium and long term.”