27/8/2010      Stern Lines
5/5/2010                        Wake and Wash study on the Swan River
15/4/2010    Public comment sought for dinghy storage on river foreshore
26/2/2010        Temporary Speed restriction in Swan River lifted
30/12/2009                                        Toxic Cup Yacht Race
22/12/2009             New navigation marker for Fish Rocks
7/12/2009                                    Garden Island Wave Plant
2/12/2009    Work to clear entrance channel at Port Geographe

The Voting Boating Public are entitled to more!
Boating Western Australia has a principle and unwavering determination as a volunteer
lobby group acting on behalf of recreational boaters to keep public awareness of the critical lack of
boating facilities in this state in front of Government.
We have frequently in the past illustrated that nearly 26% of the Western Australian population,
(men, women and children) are involved in some way with either a recreational boating activity or a
recreational boating business.
To confirm this :
1. There are approximately 90,000 registered recreational vessels in WA, and nominally in the
order of 15,000 unregistered vessels in WA (dinghies, trainers etc).
2. These 105,000 vessels with an average active involvement of 3 crew and/or guests equates
to 315,000 people who are actively engaged in recreational boating. This alone is in the
order of 15% of the West Australian population.
3. Add in the staffing and volunteer involvement at Yacht Clubs, Marinas and racking facilities.
4. Add in those personnel in the service industry – consider Brokers, Shipwrights, Chandlers, Marine   mechanics, Marine Electricians, Boat Builders and all other associated trades and we can therefore comfortably claim that these combinations represent in the order of 26% of the population – who are involved in some way with recreational boating.
Consider also the fact that yachting fosters character building competition. It promotes good clean
healthy sporting activity in a family environment, that keeps young minds active and young people off
the streets. As do all other sporting programs, boating keeps families together and the value of this to
our social fabric should never be underestimated.
Given the absolute responsibility of Governments to provide facilities for the constituents, it is barely believable that it is 22 years since a public boat ramp was built in metropolitan Perth.
Marina and pen facilities are in a similar critical absence and the wait list for pens grows every month
as the inactivity of Government continues. Statistics show us that boat registrations in Western
Australia are growing at a rate of 4,000 per year ( 5,500 per year prior to the economic crisis).
In discussions with Planning Minister John Day (earlier this year) it was reasoned that given the
population density development in WA has always been, and continues to be along the coast, that any approval for a coastal development should be absolutely conditional on the developer providing “pro-rata” marina development to housing establishment.
We can easily reason that 26% of the people coming into any new development will be involved in
recreational boating and we should ensure from the outset that they are adequately provided for in the
development plan and facilities .

Economic impact of the lack of facilities
1. The Rottnest Island Authority acknowledge in their latest 5 year plan, that 30% of visitors to the Island arrive by recreational vessel. The return to the Authority on a nett basis on mooring license fees is the biggest single income source on their budget revenue sheet.
2. The Boating Industry Association (BIA) reveal that $1.6 billion (yes – that’s BILLION not million) was generated by recreational boaters in Western Australia during 2006 alone. In that same year, $62 million in export revenue was created for the state. Without question, recreational boaters tend to
spend holiday dollars in and on their boats locally, rather than on international or interstate trips – this keeps the funds circulating in our own state economy.
The crisis in the lack of boating facilities, particularly pens, is stifl ing the boating industry and  consumer activity. If all of the programs envisaged by Government for the provision of facilities over the next five years were delivered – completed tomorrow, not even the current backlog of demand would be met. We note that in recent media releases from the Department of Transport, that 111 pens have been delivered in the last two years at Hillarys and Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbours.
If you compare that with the actual new registrations of vessels over that same period – this presents a vivid picture of the inadequacy of our State Program.
In a further recent media release it was disclosed by Government that $65 million would be allocated
to the provision of recreational boating facilities through the Royalties for Regions Program.
Surely, this must take enormous pressure off budgetary constraints for the provision of facilities in the metropolitan area.
Sadly, in recent years it would seem that not only has the Government failed to deliver facilities to the boating community, has stood as a barrier between the public and private enterprise in the provision of recreational boating facilities.
All that is needed is an approved site – private capital will do the rest.