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ABC News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Bunbury mayor backs amalgamations to reduce WA's 139 councils
The mayor of Western Australia's largest regional city says the state has too many local governments and is backing mergers as the way to reduce council numbers. With local government elections approaching and controversies engulfing the Nedlands, Coolgardie and Port Hedland councils, issues with the state's third tier of government have been in the spotlight in recent months. WA has 139 local governments, more than New South Wales (128) and Queensland (77), despite their larger populations. Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel said it was an issue that required closer examination. "There are 139 local governments in WA. It's just too many," Mr Miguel told local podcast BLXCK INK. While emphasising the position was his view, not his council's, he said Bunbury's smaller neighbours, the shires of Capel, Dardanup and Harvey, should consider merging with Bunbury. All four councils have hiked rates in their latest budgets, with Bunbury, Dardanup and Harvey all raising their fees by more than 6 per cent. Mr Miguel said Bunbury ratepayers were copping a bad deal, as people from surrounding shires used their facilities. "We've got the sports centre, the entertainment centre, the art gallery, the museum … they're regional facilities, but our ratepayers, our 30,000 people, pick up the cost of that for 100,000 people," he said. While conceding there was no appetite for amalgamation, he told the ABC it was important to start conversations about the idea, before it was "inevitably forced upon local governments anyway". Dardanup Shire President Tyrrell Gardiner said local decision-making remained the best possible model. "Dardanup, Capel and Harvey are all experiencing rapid growth, and within a few years each will have populations comparable or exceeding Bunbury's," Cr Gardiner said. "Smaller communities like Burekup, Dardanup, Capel, Harvey and Brunswick will lose [their] voice in an amalgamated structure, where city politics often dominate conversations." He said further collaboration remained key to managing the region's growing population. "The mayor's focus on amalgamation appears more like an attempt to retain influence than a solution grounded in community benefit," Cr Gardiner said. As both a former Bunbury mayor and former local government minister, it is a familiar debate for John Castrilli, who oversaw the last round of attempted forced council mergers by then-premier Colin Barnett. While believing any amalgamation would eventually be led by the state government, he said councils should look at opportunities to unite and share resources. "If there's going to be any amalgamation at all, it'll be done by government, [who will] mandate it, full stop," he said. "How do we make things more efficient? How do we optimise opportunities? "If you had one council and 100,000 people [making it] straight away the greater Bunbury council, instead of the 27th largest council, it becomes the 19th largest council." Mr Castrilli also said previous studies he had facilitated between Subiaco and Nedlands councils in Perth showed amalgamation could lead to a reduction in rates. "That was just an administration [efficiency] that could save up to $4 million a year. Savings of a couple of hundred bucks a year to each individual household," he said. In 2008, the Shire of Douglas in Far North Queensland was forced by the Queensland government to amalgamate with Cairns City Council, as part of a statewide reorganisation that substantially reduced the number of councils in the state. The merger was widely unpopular with Douglas residents, who eventually voted to split from Cairns Regional Council in 2013. Former Douglas Mayor Julia Leu said the community's interests were often overlooked in the amalgamated Cairns Regional Council. "Rates went through the roof and services went down," Ms Leu said. She said any merger in the South West had to acknowledge the interests of the outlying towns. "[Mr Miguel] has to ensure the local characteristics of those other communities are respected in terms of any newly amalgamated council," Ms Leu said. "And if the other shires oppose amalgamation they just need to fight it." Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley said the Cook government wanted councils to work out potential mergers themselves. It is a position echoed by WA Local Government Association (WALGA) president Karen Chappel. "WALGA's position is that any structural reform of local government, including amalgamations, should only be undertaken on a voluntary basis, consistent with the state government's policy," she said. "Any forced amalgamation or boundary change is not necessarily an effective way to address individual challenges faced by local governments."
West Australian
02-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Bunbury gears up for ‘big weekender' of football and festivities
In the lead-up to Bunbury's first ever AFL premiership game, the city is gearing up for a weekend full of activities and events after months of anticipation. On Sunday June 8, North Melbourne will play the West Coast Eagles in a historic match at Hands Memorial Oval — the first time a venue in WA outside the metropolitan area will stage a game for premiership points. Bunbury mayor Jaysen Miguel said it was a 'huge moment' for the region, which would see locals and travellers out in force over the weekend. 'There's already a real buzz around the city and I know we're ready to put on a show,' he said. 'I'm excited for the Bunbury Big Weekender to bring people together — footy fans, families and visitors alike — and to celebrate our beautiful city. 'I encourage everyone to get involved, come down to the events and show the rest of the country what Bunbury's all about.' Here's how you can ride the wave of AFL mania right up until match day. THURSDAY JUNE 5 FOOTY PANEL TRACKSIDE LUNCH, BUNBURY TURF CLUB, 12pm-5.30pm Between 12pm and 5.30pm the Bunbury Turf Club is hosting the Footy Panel Trackside Lunch, with appearances from sports commentator Tim Gossage and former Eagles players Andrew Embley and Ross Glendinning. FRIDAY JUNE 6 HARVEY-BRUNSWICK-LESCHENAULT FC CLUB ROOMS, 3pm-6pm In a collaboration between North Melbourne and Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault Football Club, community members are invited to participate in a hands-on painting activity at the local club rooms. Members of North Melbourne will make appearances as the club is given a splash of colour. SATURDAY JUNE 7 CAPTAINS' RUN Spectators will have free entry into Hands Oval to watch the AFL clubs' open training sessions. North Melbourne's captain's run will be held from 9am-11am before West Coast's between 1pm and 2.30pm. SUNDAY JUNE 8 THE BATTLE FOR BUNBURY, FROM 9am Bicentennial Square will come alive for pre-game excitement, with food trucks, coffee vans, a big screen and a host of family friendly activities. There will be a meet and greet with West Coast's AFLW team, face painting, a temporary tattoo station, a wheelchair football exhibition at Koolambidi Woola and a 'kick across the channel' near Koombana Bridge. There will be free shuttle buses from Bunbury Bus Station to and from Hands Oval before and after the game. Gates open at 11.30am before the first bounce at 1.20pm
ABC News
19-05-2025
- ABC News
Bunbury business questions government priorities amid escalating crime
As Western Australia's biggest regional centre prepares to play host to major sporting events, the local business community is calling out a lack of funding and action on the city's underlying social issues. Theft, used needles on the footpath, and verbal abuse and threats against staff have become commonplace at Hillzeez Surf Shop in Bunbury's CBD. Store manager Ryan Callegari said staff were dealing with anti-social behaviour at least twice a week. The ABC has spoken to several other businesses in the CBD that are also concerned about safety. The City of Bunbury has grappled with anti-social behaviour in the CBD for years, even deploying non-stop Wiggles music at an outdoor music shell frequented by people sleeping rough, which it later stopped and apologised for. The same music shell was closed indefinitely last week for repairs after a 23-year-old man allegedly set fire to the structure. In a statement to the ABC, Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel said the homeless community and anti-social behaviour in Bunbury were "completely different cohorts". He said the majority of homeless people in Bunbury were respectful and "doing what they can" to stay safe, regardless of their situation. "The city has formed the homelessness and housing solutions working group, which aims to advocate for state government funding to help increase housing in Bunbury," Cr Miguel said. Mr Callegari said it was wrong to fully blame anti-social behaviour on people experiencing homelessness, but he still believed the two societal issues were linked. Mr Callegari questioned the priorities of the state and local governments, which have spent millions attracting major sporting events to the $17 million Hands Oval. Despite community calls for state government funding, the city of 30,000 is still without a dedicated homelessness shelter. Homelessness support agency Accordwest chief executive Evan Nunn said the situation had remained unchanged for the past three to five years. "The Labor party has expressed they want to solve this problem; my view is that they need to discuss how they're going to do that," Mr Nunn said. "I plead with them to make it a priority and get on with a plan that's actionable, that provides funding to organisations and people that can get on and solve the problem." A state government spokesperson said more than $4.8 million had been provided to homelessness support services across the South West region, with 23 social homes recently delivered in Bunbury. Bunbury Police officer-in-charge Jeramy Davies said police met with the City of Bunbury in March to discuss safety in the CBD. He said increasing calls for action on the issue had been met with high-visibility police foot patrols and plans to introduce bike patrols. "We've got a zero tolerance for drug use, street drinking and anti-social behaviour, and we will always respond as quickly as we can." Mr Callegari said he "shuddered" to think where the Bunbury CBD would be in the next 10 years on the current trajectory. "We need to lower our eyes and ensure that these things are getting tackled in a really meaningful way," he said.
