The Burswood Park Racetrack Controversy: What’s Really Going On?

The Premier's Grand Plan

So much of the Burswood Park racetrack imbroglio is shrouded in mystery and shape-shifting. What are we supposed to believe? Honestly, it feels like we’re living in a soap opera, and I’m not talking about the good kind.

The whole chaotic episode kicked off with the Premier, Deputy Premier, and the Member for Victoria Park gurning away like an advertisement for a cut-price dentist outside Optus Oval. Imagine the noise, they said. How exciting!

Yes, the local population could imagine the noise, and it was NOT excited. Perhaps the Premier has a tin ear because he didn’t address the opposition. What he and his loyal apparatchiks did was adjust the story.

Faux Consultation Sessions

We had a four-session faux consultation. All held at Optus Stadium, all during working hours, and two sessions on AFL match days. Talk about convenient for the locals! Nothing in the communities most affected. No opportunity to register opposition to the project. It’s like they were trying to win a game of hide-and-seek, but forgot to tell anyone they were playing.

Then came the Environmental Protection Agency's non-review. There’s so much environmental vandalism going on that the EPA would have to put some stringent conditions on this project. But lo and behold, they took the “Nothing to see here” approach and handed the issues down the line. Throughout the process of making submissions to the EPA, there was little to no information publicly available. It was shrouded in a Commercial in Confidence shield.

The Public Outcry

By now, the Premier only had to look at the negative press: 30 stories in July, 45 in August, 48 in September, 25 in October, 53 in November, 32 in December, and 21 so far in January. On top of this, there was a packed standing-room-only public meeting and a picnic in the park. Even blind Freddy can see the electorate is not welcoming this project.

To date, nearly one year after the “Voom, Voom” announcement, there has been absolutely no scale map or plan of the racetrack. Commercial in confidence or incompetence? All we’ve seen are childlike cartoon artist's impressions of what the Premier dreams will be there.

The Renaming Insult

And let’s not forget the final insult, which rubs salt into the environmental wounds: the renaming of the geographical area to Perth Park. As if this makes everything go away! Premier, this is NOT OK for someone who told the electorate he was going to be humble. This pretentious, egotistical, conceited project does not cut the mustard.

Be an adult, not a spoiled brat. Axe the track.

The Bigger Picture

Now, let’s take a step back. What does this all mean for our community? The Save Burswood Park Alliance aims to stop the Cook Labor Government's plan to build a V8 Supercars race track on Burswood Peninsula. This is about protecting our existing parkland. It’s about ensuring that the project's impracticality and negative impacts are fully considered.

We need to ask ourselves: What kind of legacy do we want to leave for future generations? Do we want to trade our green spaces for a racetrack? I think not.

Conclusion: Stand Up for Our Parks

In conclusion, it’s time for us to stand up and make our voices heard. We can’t let this project bulldoze its way through our beloved parkland. We must advocate for our environment and our community.

Let’s rally together and show the Premier that we care about Burswood Park. We want to preserve it, not pave it over for a fleeting thrill. So, what do you say? Let’s be the change we want to see.

And remember, if you want to join the fight, check out the Save Burswood Park Alliance for more information. Together, we can make a difference!