A COMPLETELY rewritten Rottnest Island Authority Act is long overdue, according to the state's tourism industry.
A COMPLETELY rewritten Rottnest Island Authority Act is long overdue, according to the state's tourism industry.
Discussing Rottnest's future at a recent WA Business News boardroom forum, the Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) chairman Laurie O'Meara said it was important the act was rewritten to allow more flexibility for commercial activity.
"Rewriting the act is the number one priority and we'll be starting that straight away; we'll be talking to the community about a new Rottnest Island Act within a 12-month period," Mr O'Meara said.
"It might take time to go through, it might be five years before we get to it (in parliament), but at least we'll get it out on the table in the short term."
That's not soon enough for Australian Hotels Association executive director Bradley Woods.
"Laurie's problem in the context of maybe fitting it into the next five years, where his act will be reviewed, ... well, it should be in the next 12 months," Mr Woods said.
"Before the end of this term of government it should be rewritten and reinstituted."
Rottnest is a Class-A Reserve governed by the Rottnest Island Authority Act (1987), which creates the RIA as a statutory body to control and manage the Island, reporting to the tourism minister.
The state government announced on July 1 that the final Rottnest Island Management Plan (RIMP) had been gazetted in accordance with the act, which included setting the island's management direction for the next five years with the development of a 20-year vision.
Tourism Minister Liz Constable said financial sustainability and seeking business investors to fund a number of new developments were key areas of focus for the RIMP.
But Mr O'Meara said the act, in its current form, was an "inhibitor" to the island's commercial activities.
"One of the things ... I have a lot of faith in is a total rewrite of the Rottnest Island Act," he said.
"When that comes out to the public it will be an opportunity for people with different views to come forward and make some comment.
"But don't underestimate the push back you'll get in regards to Rottnest on any form of development, let alone anything at all extreme.
"We've been through hell on the Mount Herschel hotel, we're even getting push back on doing the new campgrounds.
"It's a very difficult place to do things with."
At least on that point Mr Woods - who would like to see an international five star eco-resort on the island - and Mr O'Meara agree.
"Talking to operators and those that could be involved there's a very strong 'can't do' attitude, versus a 'can do' attitude with respect to development, boating and even running tours and investment in the island," Mr Woods said.
Mr O'Meara is adamant there won't ever be a five-star resort on Rottnest but he confirmed expressions of interest for a new four-star hotel development at Mount Herschel would be asked for next month.
Plans for a Mt Herschel hotel were scrapped in March 2009 after the Broadwater consortium and the RIA failed to reach an agreement, almost two years after the consortium was chosen as the preferred proponent to develop the site under the government's Landbank initiative.