Which politician should you write to?
1) a State politician who looks after your area where you reside.
Find your MP here
https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/memblist.nsf/WAMembers
3) David Templeman because the redevelopment works fall under his portfolio
Minister.Templeman@dpc.wa.gov.au
2) John Carey because the frogs live in his jurisdiction
john.carey@mp.wa.gov.au
Minister.Carey@dpc.wa.gov.au
4) Roger Cook because he's the boss man until next election
5) Federal MP Patrick Gorman because the Feds are funding $10mil out of $55mil for this project
(Date)
Dear Politician (insert name of politician you are writing to),
I urgently write in relation to the impending redevelopment of the Perth Cultural Centre and the demolition of the urban wetland that will occur with the renovation works starting 6 January 2025. Please provide a written response to this email.
I ask, “Do you seriously want to go ahead with the current bland dryland plan proposed for the site?”
A city’s Cultural Centre demands a world class, cutting edge design but this is not what Perth is set to get! What is being dished out to us is utterly disappointing, especially when compared with re-wildings happening in Sydney, Melbourne and other centres around the world.
Ironically, when the wetland was constructed in 2010, it was celebrated internationally. Book chapters were written about it, the designers gave international interviews, it won awards, and it flourished as an example of an oasis in an otherwise stark, inhospitable environment - and yet this cherished and well populated habitat is set to be eradicated.
In 2023, following consultation with community and stakeholders, the original design for the redevelopment included a wetland, but for some reason - one that has never been communicated - the latest plan does not!
Nevertheless, having a wetland pays tribute to the pre-colonial landscape when all of Perth was a vast wetland that supported an incredible diversity of life in an abundant cycle of reciprocity.
In September 2024, the revised plan was announced, this one at an additional cost of $20M (to a total of $55M) of public, tax-payers money. It appears to be that the wetland from the original plan, has been replaced with a massive screen. The community should have a say in what the Perth Cultural Precinct ends up looking like, what it includes and what it represents.
Let's not forget, the change.org petition has collected over 2600 signatures supporting its retention or for it to be rebuilt with the redevelopment. https://www.change.org/p/save-the-urban-wetland-at-perth-cultural-centre
A recent Parliamentary petition collected over 600 signatures supporting for the wetland to be retained or rebuilt.
To learn more about the redevelopment and the wetland action group’s efforts to keep the existing wetland and/or create a new one as part of the redevelopment please go here: https://saveperthsurbanwet.wixsite.com/saveperthwetland
Thank you for your consideration of this matter, and I look forward to hearing back from you prior to the 2025 State elections as it is an issue that's close to my heart.
Kind regards,
Your name
Email or residential address and phone number (not essential but good if possible)