Bust-up over Treendale road

A war has broken out between the Harvey Shire Council and Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke over the much-debated Kingston Drive extension — a week before the election. The council is accusing Mrs Clarke of lying in the Reporter’s Q&A election special. Mrs Clarke said the Shire of Harvey had not made a request for help to the WA Planning Commission to initiate a regional scheme amendment. “As I understand it, the Shire has not yet made that request,” Mrs Clarke’s statement said. However, Harvey Shire president Paul Gillett, pictured, said a request was lodged on December 22. “This local road project is in the control of the Shire of Harvey and we wish to dispute the comment made by Member for Murray-Wellington Robyn Clarke in the Harvey Reporter on March 2 that application to the amendment to the Greater Bunbury Region Scheme hadn’t been lodged,” Cr Gillett said. “The application was lodged on 22 December 2020, after the Shire sought independent legal advice confirming (despite previous advice from the State Government) that the native title matters were no longer an issue.” Cr Gillett said his team had been working with the WA Government to get the Kingston Drive extension project approved and built for the past two years. “We understand the frustration from the community and businesses as this is a vital infrastructure link to service the area and relieve traffic congestion, and request State Government to progress this application,” he said. The road would create a link from Treendale to the roundabout in Australind, joining them together. Last year the Reporter ran numerous stories airing the concerns of a business owner in the area who said not having the road was causing businesses to leave the area. The road was promised decades ago, but cannot progress because part of the land proposed for it is under native title. The council and Mrs Clarke have been engaged in the debate since last year. Liberal candidate for the seat Michelle Boylan, who is a Harvey Shire councillor, said it was time to “stop the finger-pointing”. Mrs Boylan said the decision was “in the hands of the State Government”. “It’s clear the Labor member doesn’t understand where the project is up to — she’s either misleading the locals or out of touch,” she said. Mrs Clarke later conceded it was lodged in December but said “ultimately, it is a Shire road, and the State Government couldn’t give clearing permits, make changes to Greater Bunbury Region Scheme or South West Native Title Settlement until the Shire had lodged their requests”.