River Wall Repairs

Background: I have some questions relating to item 10.4.3 on next week’s agenda, regarding the river wall repairs.

Please attribute the below information to City of South Perth Mayor James Best.

1) Has the Council begun to lobby the new State Government to receive additional funding for the foreshore? If so what has been the outcome thus far?
The City has been successful in obtaining funds from the previous State Government through the Swan River Trust for funding to enhance and maintain the Swan River walls and foreshore. The City has an excellent working relationship with the Swan River Trust, but acknowledges that it is significantly under-funded to adequately maintain Swan and Canning River infrastructure to an appropriate standard. When the new State Cabinet has been sworn in, the City will certainly be approaching the relevant Ministers with a view to seeking a significant increase in funding to the Swan River Trust for allocation to Local Governments with a river frontage, for improvement to river infrastructure, including walls.

2) The WALGA report states that local governments will be expected to play a part in the response to climate change, does the Council believe that it is already being expected to play a part in maintaining the river walls in the face of rising water levels?
The City recognises that climate change already appears to be having an impact on the Swan and Canning Rivers, as there is evidence of increased high tides and more frequent storm events. Both of these have had an impact on the City's foreshore infrastructure and the City has made major funding contributions to repairing river walls and damaged foreshores. Given that the City of South Perth has approximately 19 kilometres of foreshore, the cost of maintaining all of the river infrastructure is beyond the financial capacity of the City and a significant State investment is required.