‘Rita’s racetrack’ divides opinion<\/a><\/p>\nThe WA government’s controversial $217 million plan to build a street motorsport circuit at Perth’s Burswood Park has incurred the wrath of many \u2014 and don’t dare call it a motorplex.<\/p>\n
Parliamentary secretary to the Premier, Daniel Pastorelli, who has been involved in community drop-in sessions about the proposal, said the “positive ideas” received complemented the government’s proposal.<\/p>\n
These included support for more hospitality venues, an urban forest and more trees.<\/p>\n
“Things like more hospitality venues on the peninsula, things like an urban forest, people definitely want more trees in the park area,” Mr Pastorelli told ABC Radio Perth.<\/p>\n
“Overall, the response that we’ve received has been quite positive.”<\/p>\n
\u00a0“Obviously, some of the local residents are concerned about the motorsport element of the project, there’s no doubt about that, and we understand that completely.”<\/p>\n
Mr Pastorelli said initial public concerns about the project were due to “misconceptions” the motorsport track would be used frequently, but he said it would only host a “one-off annual event”.<\/p>\n
The proposal has faced pushback from residents and advocates of green space, and from the WA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas, who has previously labelled the project a “wasteful” use of taxpayer dollars.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Saturday, Mr Zempilas said the government had not accurately reflected community sentiment in its report.<\/p>\n
![\"Basil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/5704132869990e57760e34cc3188d692\")
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Basil Zempilas described the proposal as “wasteful”. (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)<\/p>\n
“All the government knows in relation to this project is spin,” he said.<\/p>\n
“People don’t want a racetrack on Burswood Park.”<\/p>\n
“Spin, a sham, [the report] misrepresents what the survey told [the government] and it is nowhere near close to presenting an accurate view of what people think of this precinct and a racetrack.”<\/p>\n
Mr Zempilas said he did not believe the project would come to fruition.<\/p>\n
“I hold great confidence that this project won’t go ahead, because eventually the premier and the deputy premier will have to come to their senses.<\/p>\n
“There’s no demand for it. We have a racetrack that works up at Wanneroo. Why would you put one here and spend over $200 million when that money could be spent on any other projects?”<\/p>\n
Dr Harvey said she was opposed to the destruction of an inner-city green space.<\/p>\n
“Even if they’re not racing on it [the race track], it destroys the park,” she said.<\/p>\n
“The urban forest that they suggest is something they will look at, there is no room for it, where will it go?”<\/p>\n
But Mr Pastorelli insisted the consultation had been “a constructive process” with many ideas advanced “that may be added to the project as we progress”.<\/p>\n
Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley, who is also the member for Victoria Park, says the consultation process was wide-ranging and offered many opportunities to respond.<\/p>\n
“There is a diversity of opinion when it comes to the Burswood entertainment and sports precinct and I receive a lot of that \u2026 opinion,” she said.<\/p>\n
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Hannah Beazley says she was pleased with the “thoroughness” of the first round of consultation. (ABC Perth: Courtney Withers)<\/p>\n
“I was really pleased with the thoroughness of the first round of consultation for the project and was really pleased to see the amount of positive contributions \u2026 that will result in better outcomes for the precinct.<\/p>\n
“There were multiple drop-in sessions, thousands of newsletters dropped, there was an advertising campaign, there was the ability to email to a dedicated website to comment \u2026 it was a comprehensive consultation campaign.”<\/p>\n
A submission for the project is due to be made to the Environmental Protection Authority in coming weeks, and site investigations were underway.<\/p>\n
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