MP in resource centre survival push

With the State Government’s recent decision to shorten the contracts of community resource centres and review their effectiveness, Member for the South West region Colin Holt believes all centres are at risk of being closed.

The review is part of the Government’s decision to assess all projects within the Royalties for Regions funding program, while CRC contracts have now been shortened from three years to 18 months.

Mr Holt said CRCs provided a valued service to regional areas.

“CRCs have really become a one-stop shop for all sorts of information and assistance in regional communities,” he said.

“I’ve had numerous inquiries to my office by people concerned their CRC will close down — they really value the services CRCs provide to their community.

“With Labor’s disdain for regional WA, I imagine that if they did close CRCs, they won’t implement a new service delivery model, and instead regional WA will just go without.

“I’ll be putting pressure on the minister for regional development to keep CRCs open and to provide them with some certainty about their future.”

Shire of Denmark chief executive Bill Parker stressed the importance of the facility in Denmark.

“The CRC is an essential community asset,” he said.

“The organisation provides access to a well-utilised range of services and facilities.”

Member for Albany Peter Watson said the review would ascertain which CRCs were necessary.

“There is no doubt that CRCs provide a valuable service to their communities, but it’s also fair that when we need to repair the State’s Budget, that all spending should be reviewed ... I have put the case to the minister for regional development about how important the CRCs in the Albany electorate are to their local communities,” he said.