In 2012, Adele successfully negotiated with the Barnett Government to relocate the Department of Housing to Fremantle in a move to revitalise Fremantle. Adele had expressed concerns about the run down area in Fremantle near the Target store and down to Point Street and the anti-social behaviour that was occurring there. Adele secured the agreement for the State Government anchor tenant as a means of bringing workers and people into this derelict part of Fremantle. The plan was to revitalise a City of Fremantle owned building so that the financial benefits of the anchor tenant would flow directly to the City of Fremantle.
Unfortunately in 2016, the City of Fremantle decided to allocate this anchor tenant to a private company called Sirona. The new tenants moved into Sirona’s old Myer building, thereby reaping the financial benefits to Sirona, not the City of Fremantle.
State Government Housing Department Move To Fremantle ‘Great News’
by Adele Carles on June 27, 2012
Adele has hailed the announcement that the Head office of the Department of Housing will be relocating to Fremantle as great news for the Fremantle community.
Adele has promoted the benefits of moving a major department to Fremantle to the Government since her election in 2009 and that this strategy is now paying dividends.
“I am heartened that the Government has seen the merits of this proposal with cost savings for government and a very positive economic stimulus for Freo.”
“The flow on effects in the local economy will benefit the retail sector, hospitality and perhaps even the housing market as agency staff choose to live closer to work. This will lead to higher local employment and provide a general fillip to the community.”
Finance Minister Simon O’Brien has revealed that the government plans to relocate 80,000sqm of government office space from the CBD to Stirling, Fremantle and Murdoch under the first stage of the Government Office Accommodation Master Plan.
Relatively lower costs for office space in Fremantle have proved attractive to the Government which is facing very high property lease costs in Perth.