Premier Carmen Lawrence will visit Carnarvon tomorrow to officially launch the Gascoyne Development Commission and meet local business people and residents.
Dr Lawrence will be shown the Bibbawara bore project, visit the police station and discuss with the Carnarvon Development Council a preliminary report on a secure water supply for the town.
She will also record a half-hour interview on radio station 6LN with Northern Rivers MLA Kevin Leahy, to be broadcast from 10 am.
All of Carnarvon has been invited to meet the Premier at 10.30 am at the Civic Centre.
Dr Lawrence said she was looking forward to the Carnarvon visit, part of a heavy schedule of trips to country centres ahead of the State election on February 6.
"The Government is committed to giving all Western Australians the opportunity of direct input into issues that affect the development of their region," she said.
"The Gascoyne Development Commission is a way of ensuring direct local participation in decision-making, and in developing responses to the challenges and opportunities facing the Gascoyne.
"I always enjoy meeting people face to face and talking about their concerns, and I will be talking to as many Carnarvon people as possible during my visit."
At the Shire offices in Francis Street, Dr Lawrence will announce the GDC's budget and outline some of the projects it will undertake in its role of promoting the economic and social development of the region.
Among these are:
· an overall regional strategy to identify development opportunities and set a clear framework for the future;
· setting up a Gascoyne Pastoral Industry Advisory Committee to implement initiatives identified for the industry in the Government's plan `The Regional Advantage';
· support for the Fascine development;
· a major tourism study of the region, including developing with CALM appropriate management plans for eco-tourism in the Gascoyne's new national and marine parks;
· support for initiatives for Aboriginal participation and employment in the region's industries; and
· following up a report on the implications for the region's tourism and export industries of the upgrading of Learmonth aerodrome to international status.
Dr Lawrence will also commit a re-elected Labor Government to provide $400,000 over the next two years to the Denham foreshore development at Shark Bay, a reclaiming and landscaping project along Knights Terrace.
