STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION —''PRIVATE
PROPERTY RIGHTS: THE NEED FOR DISCLOSURE AND FAIR COMPENSATION''
863. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to recommendation 27 of the Standing Committee on
Public Administration's thirty-third report titled ''Private
Property Rights: The Need for Disclosure and Fair Compensation'', which
recommends compensation on just terms. When a decision on the Dongara–Geraldton–Northampton
route is finalised, will the government take heed of this recommendation and
compensate landowners on just terms for land that is sterilised or otherwise
impacted by the choice of route?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI
replied:
Provisions in the Land Administration Act 1997 and other acts
deal with the valuation process in the acquisition of properties for public
works. A valuation is being undertaken just as valuations for projects around
the state have been done for decades. We are very fortunate in Western Australia
to have a strong system that has not led to situations such as the one in New
South Wales in which a property that was valued at $3 million was bought by the
New South Wales government for $30 million. I do not think anyone has
discovered those types of situations. I have never seen a situation like that
in WA and I do not want to see a situation like that in WA. There is a fair
process. The issues involved when properties are affected by public works are
challenging. Many people whose homes are along train lines have experienced it.
People in the suburbs and the regions have experienced these issues for
decades. People get valuations and become involved in negotiations with the Western
Australian Planning Commission, Main Roads WA and the Department of Lands. In
many instances, private landowners have an opportunity to get their own
valuation to crosscheck the government's valuation. There are processes
underway. As I said, we have been very fortunate in WA to have strong systems
to ensure that the example of a $3 million property being purchased for $30 million
does not happen in WA, and nor should it.