Opposition to North Stoneville
Dear Echo News,
We’re well aware, thanks to Echo letters and reports, that there’s significant opposition from voters and politicians across all major parties, state and federal to Satterley’s proposed township for fire-prone Stoneville on land owned by the Anglican Church.

This is a battle spanning three decades and, in recent years, it has pitted Australia’s biggest land developer against residents of the Perth Hills and well beyond.

Apart from the hazards of putting people in harm’s way in an area that annually commemorates fires that have left people homeless – fires that are treacherous to fight or to flee and that will only increase with climate change – there are multiple reasons why so many people, organisations, and authorities have opposed this development for so long, including the WA Planning Commission twice and Mundaring council.

I’ll focus on two, the first being planning in a nation that, in terms of fires and floods, is learning the hard way from past planning mistakes.

At a time when we’ll struggle to meet our net zero emissions commitment, it’s surely Planning 101 to locate much-needed new housing stock along public transport routes rather than an area of bushland and farms bereft of appropriate infrastructure that will simply funnel more cars onto already clogged highways.

Recent rail extensions have opened up opportunities for such development and planners agree our capital city itself is ripe for urban renewal – just take a look at the graffitied buildings that are the first impression tourists get when riding the airport train into the heart of Perth.

People living in Perth Hills’ villages know that, every weekend, we share this special place with city visitors who come to ride horses or bikes, hike the forest trails, visit wineries and art galleries or picnic by a river.

And, if they’re lucky, they may marvel at the spectacle of flocks of red-tailed black cockatoos sailing over bush and forest.

Bulldoze an estimated 60,000 trees and countless nesting sites and we further erode a unique biodiverse environment and further endanger this majestic bird.

As the Echo has reported, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will be asked to revoke an environmental approval (based on outdated surveys) of Satterley’s proposal at the Save Perth Hills Rally at Mundaring Sculpture Park on Sunday, February 23.

So, it’s important that those attending this rally and the ‘meet the candidates’ gathering at Mundaring Arena on February 20 send a strong message to candidates and governments.

Residents of the Perth Hills will not stand by and watch 60,000 trees needlessly bulldozed.

T Wiltshire
Darlington

Henley Brook extension questioned
Dear Echo News, 

I write regarding Guanhao Cheng’s article Henley Brook Avenue Construction Starts (Echo News, February 7) in which our mayor Tanya Richardson waxes lyrical about the so-called benefits of this extension commencing, cannot go unchallenged.

First some clarification as to what construction has actually commenced – is it just to Park Street or all the way to Reid Highway?

Either way we are not aware that federal government approval for the removal of significant remnant banksia bushland along this route has been received, neither approval to encroach on the Pannage Wetlands.

We are also of the understanding that a City of Swan resolution in March 2021 prohibiting any work or land acquisition south of Park Street is still binding.

In addition, we question the City of Swan’s traffic modelling that argues that the extension is needed because it will reduce congestion along West Swan Road and also boost traffic safety and tourism amenity in the Swan Valley.

Assessment of all modelling available to date suggests this is not the case and that in addition to being an extravagant waste of money the proposed extension will destroy rare bushland, resume residents’ properties for no good reason and essentially replicate existing traffic routes with no obvious benefit to anybody apart from the construction contractors who will benefit from the city’s largesse.

We urge all ratepayers and residents to challenge this road extension and weigh its questionable benefits against the destruction of significant remaining flora and fauna habitats, destroy residents’ properties and have detrimental effects on the surficial aquifers and remaining wetland in the vicinity.

H Boogaerdt
President
Swan Valley Ratepayers and Residents Association

Call to push back on banks
Dear Echo News,

Our federal government needs to push back against the banks’ intent to close more regional branches and ATMs.

The best way is to threaten to withdraw the taxpayer guarantee on bank deposits.

It’s a two-way street, banks need us as much as we need them.

Without our guarantee their products look less attractive so let’s get a deal done that at least one bank remains open and supplies an ATM (let them fight amongst themselves who stays) in every regional town with a catchment population of 500 or more.

P Carman
Hovea