From Rebecca's Desk

Welcome to Issue 1!

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the joint e-newsletter of Rebecca Stephens MLA Member for Albany, and Alannah MacTiernan MLC Member for the South-West Region.

Alannah and I are delighted to bring you the Albany Update, an e-newsflash with the latest updates on developments and projects around Albany, and a summary of happenings in State Parliament relevant to Albany.

We'll be in touch with updates on a monthly basis and look forward to your feedback via rebecca.stephens@mp.wa.gov.au or alannah.mactiernan@mp.wa.gov.au

Please do let us know what you would like to hear more, or less, of!

Albany Kinjarling Afghan Appeal

With over $20,000 raised and over 180 people gathered, Afghan Hazara community members were given a deeply meaningful welcome at the Albany Kinjarling Afghan Appeal dinner in September.

Guests gathered over incredible food and great company to celebrate our deep human connection to each other and to demonstrate what the Albany community values: diversity, respect, equality, inclusion, human rights, democracy, stability, justice and fairness.

Most importantly, we believe in lifting each other up. And that is why we gathered to raise funds to actively assist Afghan Hazara people living here in the Great Southern region get their families to safety.

Deepest gratitude to all who attended and supported this important event. There will be more to come.

Albany Office Launch

I was proud to launch our new office at 348 Middleton Loop, Albany, alongside my colleague, Minister Alannah MacTiernan MLC, with whom my staff and I are co-located.

Premier Mark McGowan was our guest-of-honour as we welcomed over 100 special guests to our celebration.

I extend a warm invitation to you to visit the office at 348 Middleton Loop, should you wish to discuss matters of importance with me or my staff. I look forward to engaging with you.

Student guests at the office launch with Guest-of-Honour, Premier Mark McGowan

2021-2022 State Budget: Albany Wins Big

A significant array of positive measures are in place for Albany as a result of the 2021-22 State Budget.

Albany will see transformation across a range of portfolio areas, including housing, the environment, employment and skills, road safety, tourism and emergency management.

This is a budget that delivers for Albany that will further develop our resilience and capability to endure the challenges the future may bring. It's a budget that enhances our strengths as we drive social and economic progress and build a stronger community fabric with which to support each other.

Healthcare

Delivering high-quality healthcare for my community of Albany is a key priority for me as reflected in this budget, including:

$1.9 billion additional investment in health and mental health across WA, including more doctors and nurses in regional WA.
$19.7 million for the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS), increasing the accommodation subsidy from $60 to $100 per night, and increasing escort eligibility for people from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including women travelling to give birth.
Albany's Acute Psychiatric Unit receiving a share of $1.7 million.
$10.9 million for the Royal Flying Doctor Service to upgrade aircraft engines.
Delivering the $13.1million Radiation Oncology unit at the Albany Health Campus

Spencer Park Renewal Project

The $4 million Spencer Park Renewal Project is a pipeline of works, with up to eight new one- and two-bedroom units planned for construction to help meet high demand for singles accommodation.

The Spencer Park renewal project also includes:

refurbishment of existing social housing properties;
construction of new road connections and footpaths;
street and landscaping; and
new public accessways around Mokare Park.

The Spencer Park renewal project is part of the McGowan Government's $875 million injection to social housing.

Tourism Infrastructure

We are delivering a $3.3million investment into The Gap, including a larger carpark, new toilets, trails at nearby sites, a kiosk, and the creation of an entrance portal.

$3.2million is committed in this budget for new trails at Mount Adelaide and Mount Clarence.

Boost for Emergency Services

The Budget includes $17.8 million for an additional 36 career firefighters across regional WA, including an allocation in Albany.

Support for Young People

Improvements to access and equity for learner drivers through the Learner Drivers’ Pilot programme will further support young people into independence.

Delivering for Business

The Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants programme is a $40.8 million State Government initiative over seven years that invests in local projects to stimulate economic growth and development in regional Western Australia.

Indigenous Initiatives

Albany and regional WA will benefit from a share of the $374 million State-wide investment in Aboriginal wellbeing.

Agriculture

The Albany community will benefit from its share of:

an investment of $15 million for the Agriculture Climate Resilience Fund;
$15.1 million to strengthen WA's biosecurity capabilities; and
$3 million towards the Wine Industry Export Growth Partnership.

Each of these initiatives helps our local farmers and growers diversify, strengthen and plan for the future.

Education and Training

This budget further benefits the community of Albany through unprecedented investment in education, including:

$8.5 million for upgrades and a new STEM classroom at Albany Senior High School;
$1.5 million for a new STEM classroom at North Albany Senior High School; and
$85,000 for a repurposed STEM classroom and equipment for students at Mount Lockyer Primary School, while delivering the $16.6 million rebuild.

This budget will continue efforts to revitalise WA's TAFE and training sector with a $198 million investment per annum in regional WA over the next four years, including:

Continuation of the lower TAFE fees, local skills programme, which saw an increase of 19 per cent in enrolments in the Great Southern in 2021;
$19.2 million VET career taster programme for Year 9 students state-wide; and
$37 million towards the Employer Incentive Scheme in regional WA.

Road Safety

I am excited to see further investment into regional roads, including:

$175 million for the Albany Ring Road;
$196,000 to improve the Drummond Street/Lambert Street intersection in Lockyer, constructing a pedestrian crossing to improve safety;
$65,000 to install embayed parking bays on Barnesby Drive in Yakamia, and improve safety around the Yakamia Primary School;
$74,000 to formalise intersection boundaries at Baxter Road/Windsor Road, Wellstead, with kerbing, street lighting, and defined entry and exit to service station; and
Over $28 million to invest in repairing, rebuilding and road safety treatments on more than 320 kilometres of roads in the Great Southern.

Healthy, Connected Lives

The 2021-22 State Budget also includes significant investment to help keep regional Western Australians active, healthy and connected with their communities, including a $1.6 million renovation of the Albany Surf Lifesaving Club.

Seniors' Initiatives

I am delighted to announce the McGowan Labor Government’s restoration of the $400 Safety and Security Rebate, which was scrapped by the former Liberal National Government.

WA Seniors Card members can once again claim a $400 rebate to assist with the purchase and installation of home security equipment, including:

home alarm and CCTV systems;
security door screens;
door and window deadlocks;
security window screens or shutters;
security sensor lights;
WiFi video doorbells;
residual current devices;
mains powered smoke alarms; and
fire extinguishers and fire blankets.

The rebate is administered by the WA Seniors Card Centre, with more information available by calling 1800 671 233 or visiting http://www.seniorscard.wa.gov.au

Your safety and security is important to me. If you are eligible, I urge you to make use of the rebate to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Additionally, the McGowan Government is delivering a $12 million programme to enhance community safety and resilience, including:

$4 million to establish Elder Rights WA to prevent and address elder abuse in the community; and
Community safety measures, including an additional 1,100 police officers.

Rebecca Stephens MLA | Member for Albany