Leeming Residents Advocate for Municipal Transfer Amid Alleged Spending Disparity
Residents living south of Leach Highway in the Perth suburb of Leeming are advocating for a transfer from the City of Melville to the City of Cockburn, citing a significant perceived imbalance in municipal capital expenditure. Community members argue that Melville prioritises infrastructure projects for suburbs north of the highway, leaving southern areas with minimal funding.
Longstanding Analysis Reveals Persistent Funding Gap
Leeming resident Con Abbott has meticulously tracked the City of Melville's infrastructure spending for over five years. In 2020, he informed then-mayor George Gear that southern suburbs, representing 43% of the population, received only 13% of the 2020-21 capital works budget. Abbott asserts this disparity has worsened, with southern areas allocated merely 10% of the 2025-26 capital works program.
"Examining the city's 2025-26 capital works map reveals 18 identified projects, with only five located south of Leach Highway," Abbott explained. "One of those five involves new traffic signals at the North Lake/Winterfold Road intersection, essentially a road safety initiative rather than a discretionary infrastructure project."
Quantifying the North-South Spending Divide
Abbott's analysis indicates that projects north of Leach Highway for 2025-26 total approximately $9.2 million. These include:
- Design work for the new library cultural centre ($2.2 million)
- LeisureFit Booragoon outdoor spray park and spa and sauna refurbishment ($350,000 + $267,494)
- Majestic Boardwalk refurbishment ($1.5 million)
- Goolugatup Heathcote Lowerlands development ($2.935 million)
In contrast, southern areas receive $1 million, with the Webber Reserve redevelopment as the sole headline project. "Effectively, south of Leach Highway obtains 10% of the city's infrastructure spending on headline projects," Abbott stated, noting a similar pattern in the 2024-25 program where only four of sixteen projects were southern.
Community Frustration and Calls for Change
Jason Meotti, convenor of the Bull Creek-Leeming Community Action Group, described the spending difference as "absolutely obvious." "The City of Melville appears not to acknowledge residents south of the highway," Meotti remarked. "The council shows reluctance to develop the Bull Creek/Murdoch train station precincts, and the Leeming Recreation Centre requires reconstruction."
Leeming, situated at the convergence of Melville, Canning, and Cockburn local governments, could potentially integrate into Cockburn. "Cockburn seems to accomplish projects efficiently," Meotti suggested, highlighting this as a viable alternative for neglected southern suburbs.
Municipal Response and Strategic Justification
City of Melville CEO Gail Bowman defended the council's expenditure, emphasising allocation based on identified needs. The capital works program is formulated through annual budgeting and long-term financial planning, prioritising projects according to safety, asset condition, strategic priorities, and community demand.
"Similar to all local governments, Melville operates within constrained financial resources, necessitating careful annual prioritisation as not all requested projects can be simultaneously funded," Bowman clarified. "The Local Government Act prohibits ward accounting, meaning capital funding is not distributed geographically but directed to areas with demonstrated needs or strategic importance citywide."
Bowman listed recent and upcoming southern projects, including Southside BMX facilities, Willagee library refurbishment (Wilgi Kaartdijin Mia), Webber and Winnacott reserves redevelopments, and Morris Buzacott Sports new netball facility. She encouraged community involvement in strategic planning reviews to influence future investment priorities.
Engagement Opportunities for Residents
Residents can voice their priorities through the city's community perception scorecard or by contacting melinfo@melville.wa.gov.au directly. This feedback mechanism aims to incorporate community perspectives into Melville's long-term planning, potentially addressing concerns over equitable resource distribution.
