Jordon Steele-John praises Bunbury but says more can be done

WA Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John praised Bunbury City Council’s Most Accessible Regional City In Australia (MARCIA), project but said it needed to go further during a visit on Monday.

More than 50 people attended an event at Bunbury Public Library where Mr Steele-John spoke alongside Advocacy WA chairman Adam Johnson. The Senator said a wide variety of issues were raised, but there were particular concerns that projects continued to be completed that were inaccessible.

“Even through the incredible MARCIA project there are things such as the new lookout in town that are only accessible via stairs,” he said.

“The message was very clear – the approach the city has taken with its MARCIA project needs to be urgently implemented at all levels of government so inaccessibility doesn’t continue as a problem.”

He said the inability to access Meelup Beach was an issue he would campaign for.

“Currently, the beach is only accessible via stairs and so people with mobility issues – such as myself, but also older Australians and others – can’t enjoy this beautiful location in the same way others can,” he said.

He said it had been great to take part in such an event and see a regional city taking the initiative regarding accessibility.

“What it did highlight was that a holistic approach to making Australia more accessible must be taken if we are to continue breaking down the barriers facing disabled people,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Steele-John visited the Marlston Hill Lookout to announce the Greens’ commitment to ensuring the highest quality National Broadband Network was delivered.

“Our commitment is to keep the NBN infrastructure publicly owned and ensure the rollout is finished using best choice technology,” he said.

He made the commitment alongside the Greens candidate for Forrest Nerilee Boshammer.

Ms Boshammer said NBN had been raised as an issue by many people in the electorate.

“We were doorknocking in South Bunbury on Sunday and we spoke to an NBN contractor,” she said.

“Interestingly what he said was that he gets so many call outs particularity from elderly people saying their landline isn’t working and they need help.

“That’s just in the Bunbury area and this is a city, never mind once we go into rural areas.”