Long-term airport parking plan shelved, with Kalgoorlie-Boulder council asking for more options

A $730,000 long-term parking project at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport has been shelved after a councillor expressed concern it would see ratepayers subsidising out-of-town businesses, and local residents paying a higher rate of parking. Councillors were recommended to endorse stages one and two of a long-term parking project at the airport, allocating almost $750,000 in the 2024-25 budget, at Monday night’s council meeting. The plan would see long-term parking established in the overflow car park area, offering permits at $10 a day — plus an administration fee of $110 — while short-term car parking would remain at $15 a day. However, Cr Nardia Turner instead raised an alternative motion requesting the city chief executive to consider alternative strategies for the most “cost-effective long-term parking options” within the airport precinct, with a report to be brought back to the council. Her motion was supported unanimously around the table. Cr Turner said airport parking was often discussed within the community at a “certain level of frustration” and agreed a solution was needed. While she thanked city staff for bringing something to the table, she said she did not think it was “workable”. “I think it (the original motion) was a short-term solution to a longer-term issue and I can’t commit ratepayers monies to this without all options having been investigated and presented,” she said. “I’m not keen on a long-term parking solution being one that becomes a discounted parking permit option for users who may not even live in our city or pay any type of rates here. “And in essence such a system may have our ratepayers subsidising enterprises from out of town with our own residents still paying the normal rate of parking.” Cr Turner said she did not want to make a system where out-of-town businesses were benefiting with not only discounted permits, but also ratepayers footing the bill for fencing, lighting and security for their vehicles. “Perhaps one of the options that may be considered in the report is that officers could look at access to airport precinct land to lease to such companies that they would then fence, light and secure themselves,” she said. “And then imagine how much parking that would free up in our airport. “We might not even need another one. “Or maybe even a long-term parking facility where users simply pay a daily rate and our ratepayers can get a couple of free days parking back. “As a councillor, I need all options presented to me to better make a decision that benefits all users of an airport parking lot, not just a few companies that might make a lot of noise because it’s inconvenient to them. “And our actual ratepayers and residents aren’t getting the benefits of these, too. So these are some of the points I hope will be considered in the report.”