Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to present a petition for a post office in Eaton. The locality is in the shire of Dardanup. It is a rapidly growing community in my electorate in the south-west of Western Australia, with a population of over 10,000 people. It is expected to grow to 15,000 people by the end of the decade. Eaton is also a service centre for the surrounding areas of Burekup, Roelands and Brunswick Junction. At the heart of the Eaton regional community is the Eaton Fair Shopping Centre. Surrounding this are three schools, with two, Glen Huon Primary School and Eaton Community College, in the immediate vicinity. The heart of Eaton also contains the Eaton recreation centre, the library, a day-care centre, shire offices and a medical centre. It is a central hub.

Within 500 metres of the shopping centre there are two retirement villages, including an aged-care facility that will, with soon-to-be-completed expansions, house over 500 residents. Many of these residents and others of retirement age living elsewhere in Eaton no longer drive but use Gophers and walkers to get to the shopping centre. They do not want to take those Gophers and walkers two kilometres to the next post office. Currently residents have access to a postbox in which they can post their letters at Eaton. They can buy stamps from the great local newsagency. However, they cannot pay their bills, their fines or licence fees.

The people of Eaton and surrounds deserve a real and centrally located post office. This is commonly recognised—so much so that private citizens have flocked to sign this petition. I would like to thank Val Melville, the principal petitioner, for her efforts with this petition. A resident of Bethany Fields village, a retirement centre not fair from Eaton Fair, Val is surrounded by those who are demanding this service. She has worked tirelessly to put this together. A total of over 4,637 people have signed this petition asking for the government to take action on their behalf. Nearly half of the local population who have gone out of their way to make an effort to express their views. I urge the government not to ignore them. I again thank Val Melville for all of the work that she has done. The presence of a post office in the Eaton Fair Shopping Centre for these residents is needed, particularly for those who are not in a position to drive or walk the two kilometres to the nearest other post office.

The covering paper of this petition reads: 'The undersigned citizens of the south-west of Western Australia draw to the attention of the House the lack of a fully licensed post office in Eaton Fair Shopping Centre, which is being upgraded to the Eaton Town Centre.' I ask that the government not ignore this.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This Petition of the undersigned citizens of the South West of Western Australia draws to the attention of the House the lack of a fully licensed Post Office in Eaton Fair Shopping Centre which is being upgraded to Eaton Town Centre.

For the Attention of the House:

A fully licensed local Post Office Service is a vital and urgent necessity for the community of Eaton and surrounding areas.

Eaton is a rapidly growing community currently serviced by a Post Box and facilities to purchase stamps.

Within 500 metres there are two retirement villages which at capacity will house over 500 residents, some of whom like some other Eaton seniors cannot drive cars and rely on gophers and walkers to access the shopping centre. They are more likely to use mail!

A close to hand licensed Post Office is desperately needed for mail and as a facility to pay bills and licenses.

Eaton and its nearby communities use the shopping centre as a one stop shop for their needs seven days a week. The town centre also includes three schools including a senior college, a day care, recreation centre, library and medical centre.

This petition of citizens of Eaton in the Shire of Dardanup, Western Australia asks the House to request the Government, which is denying the petitioners urgently needed local official post office services, to take action in placing a Post Office in Eaton Fair Town Centre.

from 4,637 citizens

Petition received.