WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CRICKET ASSOCIATION —
LOCAL GOVERNMENT RATES
622. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the minister overriding the City of Perth in
granting the Western Australian Cricket Association a 100 per cent exemption
from paying rates.
(1) Why has he decided to stop the city from collecting rates
from the WACA?
(2) Has he used ministerial discretion to grant other such
rate exemptions?
Mr J.N. CAREY
replied:
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for this question. As the
minister, I have the ability to give an exemption. I note that this
happened with the WACA consecutively under the member's government. I find
it slightly bizarre that the member is questioning the ability of the minister
to do so when his government did it in consecutive years. I gave consideration to the effects of COVID on the WACA, given
that it had faced challenges, and also the oncoming significant
redevelopment of the WACA, and I thought it was appropriate to provide that
exemption. That exemption is for only this financial year and if there are any
further requests, I will give them consideration at the time. I had a meeting
with the mayor and the chief executive officer on homeless issues and I did
flag it there as well that I had made that decision.