THE Future Freo project will deliver its first findings next month.
An off-shoot of the Committee for Perth think tank, Future Freo was set up to identify the port city’s strengths and weaknesses so economic growth can flourish.
But CFP boss Marion Fulker says it’s too much to expect people to digest a single, omnibus report (due in November) so the group is planning information nuggets along the way. The first will be on Fremantle’s demographics.
Ms Fulker says the strength of the project is its objectivity: teamed with researchers from UWA, she says the information gathered is quarantined from political or business interference.
“The steering committee sees any draft reports, but they have no editorial control,” she told the Herald.
The committee includes representatives from organisations that have stumped up the cash, including the Freo and East Freo councils, Sirona, Coda, Match, Mermaid Marine, Fremantle Ports, the local chamber of commerce and Notre Dame uni.
Ms Fulker says once boffins have crunched the data, she becomes the “human face” of the project to sell its message. After that it’s up to the bureaucrats, businesses and residents to take up the ideas and turn them into reality.
The parent committee takes credit for the recent easing of trading hours in WA, as well as championing the need for local government reform.
• Committee for Perth supremo Marion Fulker. Photo by Steve Grant
Ms Fulker says the group was also the first to document and raise the issue of WA’s “haves and have-nots” as a result of the mining boom, which fed into submissions made to the WA government by the WA Council of Social Services.
But the head of Fremantle’s residents and ratepayers association says it’s hypocritical of the local council to be involved after signing up to 350.org which means the council won’t be investing in companies that support fossil fuels.
CFP’s major corporate sponsors include Woodside, Shell and Chevron.
“That’s a bit like a rabbi endorsing a brand of bacon,” Mark Woodcock quipped.
“Personally I like bacon but I’m not telling others it’s bad for you while scoffing it down myself.”
Mayor Brad Pettitt says he wasn’t aware of any funding from fossil-fuel industries involved in Future Freo, but regardless he doesn’t think taking money from the group is an issue if it’s for worthwhile community investments.
“My sense is it doesn’t as it is not enabling more fossil-fuel extraction,” he told the Herald.
“Divestment campaigns such as 350.org are fundamentally about not allowing our money (via banking or superannuation) to be used to fund the exploration and investment in more fossil-fuel extraction—we have to leave most of them in the ground if we are to have a safe climate.”
by STEVE GRANT
