Adele lived at South Beach for 20 years and is passionate about ensuring that development in the area is planned properly in accordance with policies which recognise the unique coastal environment. Adele spearheaded the campaign to have the 100 metre coastal setback implemented during the planning stage of the South Beach Estate in South Fremantle and Cockburn; the “Save South Beach” campaign. Adele fought to prevent local residents having lead dust contaminate their environment.
Before being elected, Adele Carles solicitor, on behalf of Fremantle residents, won a case in the Supreme Court against the State Government. The case centred on the 2005 clean-up of contaminated land at the former Lead Smelter site at South Beach. Despite the fact that there is no WA legislation securing resident’s rights, this South Beach case created new common law in WA. It established that local residents affected by decisions of the State Government have a legal right to be heard and to be afforded procedural fairness and natural justice by those State Government agencies.