Zempilas uses council meeting to lambast ‘stitch up’ over East Perth car park plan

Perth Lord Mayor and Liberal candidate Basil Zempilas has launched a blistering tirade as his row with the state government intensifies, branding its eleventh-hour move to take control of a car park at the East Perth Primary School site it now owns as a “stitch up”.

Zempilas used the lord mayoral announcements section of Tuesday’s council meeting to embark on an eight-minute rant about the decision while waving a copy of his interview with The West Australian newspaper, owned by his employer Seven West Media.

WA Education Minister Tony Buti, Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas.Credit: WAtoday

“I’m normally an upbeat sort of fella, aren’t I? Look at the forlorn figure that I cut leaning against the parking sign down at East Perth. CEO, would you agree I look forlorn there?” he asked.

The lord mayor, who is also the Liberal candidate for Churchlands, explained that the state’s Education Department penned a letter informing the city of plans to seize control of two parcels of the Queens Gardens car park site to operate a fee-free 497-bay car park by November 29.

“Under what the state is proposing, they want us to leave on Friday week — they want us to take our signs, our machines — and they are in advanced negotiations with another provider to take on the running of that car park,” he told the meeting.

“Why would they do that? For what reason, if it wasn’t being petty, petulant and mean-spirited?”

Zempilas claimed the bays would have generated $650,000 in parking levies, and that the total cost of the move could be as much as $1 million.

The prominent media personality also questioned the state’s motivation, claiming the city would have agreed to operate the car park, and whether the government had considered how the move may affect competition in the market.

The site sits adjacent to another car park run by the city, which charges $14.50 per day on a weekday and $7 on weekends and public holidays.

“For what, if not to spite the City of Perth? But it’s not the City of Perth they’re spiting, it’s the ratepayers and the people who use that car parks,” Zempilas told the meeting.

“Either the state government hasn’t thought this through, or they’re trying to stitch us up.”

The rant is the latest twist in the protracted dispute between the city and the state government over the East Perth Primary School development.

The development stalled amid a six-month row over compensation until August, when the state government announced it would repeal an act preventing the 1.6-hectare site’s redevelopment without approval from city council.

The state intends to compensate the city $4.2 million in lost revenue for the car park site, but Zempilas maintains the site is worth close to $40 million and wants “fair” compensation.

Both the city and the state government independently valued the portion of the site around $40 million.

A state government spokesperson said the government’s priority was to start building the primary school as soon as possible so it could open for the start of the 2029 school year.

“To do that, the Department of Education needs access to the site following the transfer of the car park to the State in the coming weeks,” they said.

“In the meantime, the Department of Education is investigating ways it can provide some free parking while works on the school progress.

“Once the transfer of the site occurs, the state will pay the city an amount of $4.2 million, in recognition of the forgone car parking revenue for the area of land required for the school during construction.”

The spokesperson said the government was yet to receive information from the city about its plan to use the $4.2 million to prepare the site for housing.

“The legislation that has recently passed has also unlocked a parcel of the Queens Gardens Car Park site to be retained by the City of Perth and clear the way for future housing,” they said.

“The land retained by the city, which is now unencumbered by legislation, is estimated to be worth more than $27 million.

“After years of requesting the state remove the legislative lock on the land, it’s important now the land is no longer required to be a carpark, the city moves quickly to better use this prime land for residential purposes in our city.”

Zempilas’ speech also comes as WA Labor gears up to factor him in to plans targeting the opposition ahead of the upcoming state election amid persistent speculation over the Liberal Party’s leadership.

Liberal leader Libby Mettam poured cold water on talk of a leadership contest on Tuesday, instead blaming the WA media’s “obsession” with Zempilas for fuelling the rumours.

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