Latest news with #BasilZempilas
West Australian
4 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Unlocking Pilbara housing possibilities a 'clear priority' for Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas after tour
Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas has taken aim at the State Government during a regional tour to the Pilbara, declaring housing is 'clearly not something they're doing well'. Mr Zempilas wrapped up the tour on Friday June 6 in Exmouth, after stopping in at Port Hedland and Karratha to meet with local businesses and industry. 'Housing is obviously something the State Government are not succeeding at now,' he said. 'One of the important reasons to travel to the regions and come out to experience the issues for local people first-hand is to get a sense of what the government are doing well and what they're not doing well, and housing is clearly something they're not doing well throughout Western Australia.' The Opposition Leader also cited Premier Roger Cook's announcement to build 100 homes for Perdaman workers in Karratha, saying it's 'barely going to touch the sides, and is only for workers'. 'To be able to grow the City of Karratha, for example, then we're going to need to be able to grow the population of the city, but you can't grow the population if there's nowhere for people to live,' he said. 'Housing is a huge priority for the entire Pilbara region, so finding ways to unlock the potential of the Pilbara by unlocking possibilities with housing seems to be a very clear priority, and it's certainly one for us to take back and give strong consideration to.' Housing and Works Minister John Carey said the State Government made significant commitments to boost regional housing, noting Government Regional Officer Housing, funding regional headworks through the Infrastructure Development Fund and delivering a Regional Housing Support fund to further support key worker construction. 'In coming years, we'll see even more economic growth in the Pilbara,' he said. 'This will include further expansion into clean energy, critical minerals, tourism and advanced manufacturing. 'These growth industries will require more local workforces and more housing. 'The Opposition remains devoid of any policies for regional WA, including housing in the Pilbara. 'In fact, the Opposition regularly campaign against residential development and have promised to increase planning system red tape.' Mr Zempilas said key issues such as healthcare in the Pilbara were also linked to housing. 'You can't get professionals up here if they don't have anywhere to live,' he said. 'It's very clear, that this has been, or still is, the most expensive city in Australia to live. 'Weekly rents are in the vicinity of $1200-$1300 per week, that's not affordable in many places. 'I appreciate there's a complexity to life in Karratha, there seems to be two speeds to the economy — those that are working in the resources industry and doing very well and able to manage or justify that sort of rental expense, but there are clearly many who are on the minimum wage, or even below the minimum wage, and that affordability is not in their realm.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Channel Seven star wants 'brutal' sport BANNED after joining Anthony Albanese in campaign against event championed by UFC bad boy Conor McGregor
Plans to bring bare-knuckle boxing to Perth have been dealt a serious blow - and now, former Channel Seven personality turned Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas is leading calls for the sport to be permanently banned. The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship [BKFC], co-owned by UFC icon Conor McGregor, was expected to stage its Australian debut in Perth this July. Instead, the WA Combat Sports Commission has declined the application, leaving organisers scrambling and critics relieved. Zempilas, once a mainstay of Seven's AFL and Olympic coverage, now serves as Leader of the Opposition and head of the WA Liberal Party. He's demanding the State Government take the next step and outlaw the sport altogether, arguing it has no place in Western Australia. 'It was very clear that a significant majority of Western Australians did not want this brutal sport to be coming to Perth,' Zempilas said. 'It should not have taken this long, and there are still lots of questions.' He urged the Combat Sports Commission, chaired by former Labor Minister Bob Kucera, to publicly explain why the permit was denied. 'We don't know what criteria was not met, or how the decision was reached,' he said. 'We don't know whether there were discussions between the Minister and the Commission, and it would appear the door is still open.' Zempilas said a full ban would be the only way to prevent future applications. 'That's what we want. Clearly that's what the people of Western Australia want.' 'It sets a bad example, there is very little demand.' 'And it took the long way and a confusing way to get there, but I'm pleased that the common sense decision was ultimately reached.' His stance has been echoed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who also voiced concerns earlier this week. Speaking to Triple M, Albanese said: 'A bit of common sense - you've got to look after people's health a bit and maybe save people from themselves.' He referred to the rising awareness of concussion and long-term brain damage in sport. 'I just think we've got to be much more conscious about health issues,' he said. Albanese mentioned a recent conversation with former rugby league great Mark Carroll about the long-term effects of concussion. 'It's a bit crazy,' the Prime Minister said, when asked directly about bare knuckle fighting. The Australian Medical Association WA has also taken aim at the proposed event. 'We have a domestic violence crisis,' said AMA WA President Michael Page. 'We have people sorting out their problems with their fists in Northbridge on Saturday night.' 'This is not the type of example our community needs. 'We don't need this type of race to the bottom with bloody violence.' The WA Government had faced pressure over the event's approval, particularly as Sports Minister Rita Saffioti had previously defended it. She argued it was difficult to justify banning bare-knuckle fighting while continuing to support UFC events for tourism purposes. 'I can't differentiate between this and UFC,' she said. 'Just because it's not my cup of tea, or the Premier's cup of tea, doesn't mean we have the right to say no.' Still, the application was ultimately rejected. A statement from the Combat Sports Commission confirmed the decision but offered no detailed explanation. 'After careful consideration, the Board was not satisfied the event met the required criteria,' it read. BKFC President David Feldman had previously insisted the show would go ahead, calling Australia 'perfect for showcasing BKFC.' Among the scheduled bouts was a heavyweight clash between former UFC fighter Ben Rothwell and Australian strongman Alex 'Godly Strong' Simon. Simon, who once tipped the scales at 181kg and has a background in powerlifting, has spoken openly about his time in prison. The co-main event would have featured Tasmania's 'Rowdy' Bec Rawlings, the competition's first-ever female champion. Rawlings was set to face off against Canadian fighter Jade Masson-Wong. The proposed matches were set to take place at RAC Arena on July 19. But with the permit denied and calls for a ban intensifying, the future of BKFC in Australia looks doubtful. Zempilas has called for a full explanation from the WA Government and a clear statement that the sport is unwelcome. 'The Premier and Sports Minister are still duty-bound to act,' he said.
ABC News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Boonji Spaceman sculpture unveiling angers fans of 'the kebab' in Perth
A gleaming blue, 7-metre-tall astronaut has been unveiled in Perth's CBD, taking pride of place outside Council House. Designed by US artist Brendan Murphy, the sculpture called Boonji Spaceman was a donation by the artist but City of Perth took on costs of transportation and installation, believed to be between $150,000–$250,000. The acquisition was championed by former Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas who stepped down from the council in March after being elected to state parliament. Mr Zempilas has long championed branding Perth as the City of Light — as it was dubbed by astronaut John Glenn in 1962 when the people of Perth turned on their lights to acknowledge his mission to become the first American to orbit the earth. It was that story and meeting Mr Zempilas that persuaded Murphy to donate one of his spacemen to Perth after the pair were introduced by gallery owner Paul Gullotti. "I'm not in the business of giving my work away. I'm one of the top-selling artists in the world," Murphy told Mark Gibson on ABC Radio Perth. "[Mr Zempilas and I] had a couple of great chats and Zoom calls, and Basil was really inspired by my work. "When that happens that means a lot to me, and this history of John Glenn identifying Perth as the city of lights, that really connected the dots for me." When the council voted to accept the donation last year Mr Zempilas said it was "an incredible opportunity" to bring a real tourist attraction that fit Perth's story to the city. But not everyone was pleased with the idea, particularly as the site allocated was previously occupied by another popular piece of public art — the Ore Obelisk, affectionately dubbed "the kebab". The 15-metre-tall sculpture was designed by City of Perth town planner Paul Ritter and erected to celebrate Western Australia's population reaching 1 million in 1971. Featuring different geological specimens of rock, it symbolised the expansion of mining in the state in the 1960s and 1970s. The sculpture was dismantled and placed in storage in 2021 following "engineering reports that it was unsafe and posed a risk to public safety", a spokesperson for the council said. Helen Curtis, who runs a public art consultancy, launched the "Save the Kebab" campaign to restore and bring back the Ore Obelisk. She was annoyed to find the council had allocated funds to the Boonji Spaceman. Now that the spaceman is in place she is continuing her campaign to reinstate the the kebab. "There is a huge groundswell of people from the arts, design, the history professions. "But also the broader Perth community and even people who worked in parks and gardens at the City of Perth are showing support for the campaign." Ms Curtis said the Boonji Spaceman was not unique to Perth, as Murphy had already installed versions of the sculpture in London, Oslo, Dubai and Antigua. The Perth version of the Boonji Spaceman is called Lightning. "This is not about parochialism at all," Ms Curtis said. "If the City of Perth is into Instagrammable tourism attractions then we can do that here ourselves. "Let's look after what we have first, right? That should be our priority. The Ore Obelisk — why didn't the City of Perth look after that? She said if the city wanted tourist attractions it should commission local artists to create original work. Murphy said he was surprised to learn that his spaceman had caused controversy. "I had no idea any of this existed until recently," he said. The artist rejected claims his work was not connected with the story of Perth and was simply a copy of work he had created elsewhere. "First of all I'm not an American artist. I'm an artist, and my role … is to bring people together and to try and create works that inspire people," he said. "Having put [the Boonji Spaceman] in other cities around the world I know the effect it has. "I've seen it bring people together and … in most cases, I think people will be proud because it's a very forward-looking, forward-moving sculpture. It's very contemporary." Murphy said the words written on the sculpture had been personalised for Perth, based on conversations with locals and research on the city's history. The words "ambition" and "City of Light" appear on the spaceman's chest. "I'm hopeful and pretty confident that everyone will come together once they experience the sculpture and I think they'll be proud of it," Murphy said. City of Perth said the Boonji Spaceman would remain in its Stirling Gardens location for a year before being moved to another, as yet unnamed, location in the city. It did not say how much it would cost to restore the Ore Obelisk but said it required significant work, including replacing all the conglomerate rock elements.
Sydney Morning Herald
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
City of Perth mulled no-protest zone around Government House after secret meeting
The City of Perth council considered imposing a no-protest zone around Government House after a meeting with WA Governor Chris Dawson that remains shrouded in secrecy. Documents released under Freedom of Information laws and obtained by WAtoday show the proposal came to the council in January 2024 after an unnamed person — whose identity has been suppressed — raised safety concerns with former lord mayor Basil Zempilas. The concerns related to arrests made over antisocial behaviour, high traffic and more than two dozen buses on St Georges Terrace. The plan involved removing the 'implied licence' of people to protest by standing on the footpath in front of the heritage-listed Government House. A PowerPoint presentation of the proposal detailed how the city had begun liaising with WA Police on developing a new process which would see signage installed prohibiting loitering or obstruction of the footpath. Under the process developed by the city, local government rangers would be empowered to issue two warning notices to those found failing to abide by the requests. Then the matter would be referred to police, and non-compliance was to be met with move-on notices or arrest. The blanket ban appears to have been the only remedy explored, with the administration admitting that changes to the existing footpath had not been considered. The slide detailing the city's consultation with stakeholders was redacted from the presentation released under FoI laws, as was the reason the proposal was being raised in an informal council forum.
The Age
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
City of Perth mulled no-protest zone around Government House after secret meeting
The City of Perth council considered imposing a no-protest zone around Government House after a meeting with WA Governor Chris Dawson that remains shrouded in secrecy. Documents released under Freedom of Information laws and obtained by WAtoday show the proposal came to the council in January 2024 after an unnamed person — whose identity has been suppressed — raised safety concerns with former lord mayor Basil Zempilas. The concerns related to arrests made over antisocial behaviour, high traffic and more than two dozen buses on St Georges Terrace. The plan involved removing the 'implied licence' of people to protest by standing on the footpath in front of the heritage-listed Government House. A PowerPoint presentation of the proposal detailed how the city had begun liaising with WA Police on developing a new process which would see signage installed prohibiting loitering or obstruction of the footpath. Under the process developed by the city, local government rangers would be empowered to issue two warning notices to those found failing to abide by the requests. Then the matter would be referred to police, and non-compliance was to be met with move-on notices or arrest. The blanket ban appears to have been the only remedy explored, with the administration admitting that changes to the existing footpath had not been considered. The slide detailing the city's consultation with stakeholders was redacted from the presentation released under FoI laws, as was the reason the proposal was being raised in an informal council forum.
