In Perth’s western suburbs, a contentious land issue has emerged, prompting Planning and Lands Minister John Carey to intervene. He has overturned the City of Nedlands’ rejection of plans to convert a small 3,000-square-metre parcel of land near a children’s hospice into a peaceful park specifically for terminally ill children.
Minister Carey expressed his dismay at the Nedlands council’s stance, calling it one of the worst councils in Western Australia. He deemed the decision to turn the land over to the state government as “the right decision,” highlighting the inadequacy of the council in supporting both the hospice and the park. The Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation is developing the hospice, which is expected to serve terminally ill youngsters by mid-2024.
Ian Campbell from the foundation welcomed the Minister’s ruling, describing the Nedlands council’s opposition as an annoying obstacle akin to a persistent mosquito. He expressed satisfaction that the council has been rendered irrelevant in this process, allowing for the creation of a beautiful native parkland.
Despite the proposal’s potential benefits to families, the City of Nedlands has remained silent, opting not to respond to inquiries about their position. Instead, they issued a brief statement citing community concerns over bushfire dangers and access issues through Allen Park to the beach.
Carey has condemned these concerns as “nimby-ism gone mad,” arguing that it makes little sense to preserve an uninviting plot of land rather than transform it into a nurturing environment for families facing challenging times. He plans to present the motion to Parliament in the coming days, and if uncontested, the land will transition to state ownership after a fortnight.
The local opposition has indicated its support for the motion, signalling a potential resolution to the dispute and paving the way for the park’s development, which promises to provide solace to families in need.