Member for Collie-Preston Mick Murray has expressed his concerns for the possible closure of licensing services in Collie.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
Shadow Transport Minister Rita Saffioti announced on a visit to Collie on Friday that a McGowan Labor Government will stop the planned closure of local licensing services including Collie.
The Department of the Attorney General had ordered Collie Courthouse to cease providing licensing services and had advertised the service for tender, but had not found the service a new home in town.
Shadow Transport Minister Rita Saffioti guaranteed a local licensing centre would remain open in Collie if a McGowan Labor Government was elected.
Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said the community was rightfully outraged about the plans to close the Courthouse-based service.
Collie’s licensing centre provides local, in-person access to services for learners’ permits, vehicle transfers, firearm licences, boat registrations and fine payments.
Ms Saffioti said these services were vital to regional areas.
“I’m giving an iron-clad commitment that Collie will retain its licensing services under a McGowan Government,” she said.
“WA Labor are very keen not to see this service disappear from Collie, keeping services in towns like Collie is very important, particularly for confidence for the community because the locals don’t want to see other services cut so we are very keen to support this.
“Licensing should be a basic community service and the Liberal-National Government is treating Collie people like second-class citizens with this disgraceful decision.”
Mr Murray said if the licensing centre was to close, Collie’s closest licensing centre would be a 115 kilometre, hour-and-a-half round trip away in Bunbury.
“Not everybody is on the internet. Not everybody has the time and money to spend an hour-and-a-half travelling to Bunbury,” he said.
“If it is moving out of town then that’s immediately two jobs gone from licensing.”
“That could impact further down the line if they are young family people and if they take their children with them it impacts on the schools.
“First it was the local Department of Housing to close, then Centrelink and now they want to shut the licensing centre.”
