- Legislation passes Parliament to repealChevron-Hilton Hotel Agreement Act 1960
- New East Perth Primary School to be built at Queens Gardens Car Park in East Perth
- Major State Government investment to deliver state-of-the-art school and much-needed student capacity in the inner city
- Parcel of land unlocked for City of Perth to develop housing
Families in inner-city Perth will benefit from a new state-of-the-art local primary school following the successful passing of legislation by the Cook Government in State Parliament.
Under theChevron-Hilton Hotel Agreement Act 1960, the Queens Gardens Car Park in East Perth could only be used as a car park. The repeal means the long-awaited new primary school can be built on the site.
The legislation has also unlocked a parcel of the Queens Gardens Car Park site to be retained by the City of Perth and clears the way for future housing. The land to be retained by the City, which is now unencumbered by legislation, is estimated to be worth more than $27 million.
In addition, the State will pay the City an amount of $4.2 million, in recognition of the forgone car parking revenue for the area of land required for the school during construction.
The payment will be made to assist the City in preparing the site adjacent to the school for residential development opportunities, which will increase housing in the City of Perth.
Overall, it is expected the land acquisition, repeal of theChevron-Hilton Hotel Agreement Act 1960and the Cook Labor Government’s investment in a new school will deliver economic benefits of more than $60 million to the City of Perth, an ongoing uplift in rate revenue and a broad range of social and educational benefits to the East Perth community.
The new East Perth Primary School is now expected to open for the 2029 school year – which has been delayed by a year due to the City of Perth’s decision to block the school, after originally supporting it.
The new school will ease enrolment pressure on Highgate Primary School and other schools surrounding Perth’s city centre into the future.
As stated by Education Minister Dr Tony Buti:
“We promised a new primary school for families in the inner city and that is what we are delivering.
“As Education Minister, I am committed to delivering our record education infrastructure program ensuring young people and their families have access to a great public education close to home.
“This new primary school will offer that for people living in and near our capital city.
“The City of Perth has requested successive governments over several decades to repeal the Chevron Act and terminate the State Agreement, and we are pleased to have delivered this.”
As stated by Perth MLA John Carey:
“Our inner-city community is growing with more families choosing to live here, which is why we have committed to building a new inner-city primary school in East Perth.
“The Cook Labor Government is getting on with delivering the East Perth Primary School.
“It’s disappointing that at every opportunity, the WA Liberals and the City of Perth have sought to oppose and delay the delivery of the new East Perth Primary School.
“We’re investing in transformative projects to get more people to live in our city including the state-of-the-art East Perth Primary School, the ECU City campus, the WACA redevelopment and the Pier Street affordable housing development.”
