He unearthed Barnett government bungles. So what does John Langoulant think about the Burswood racetrack?

The former public servant who lifted the lid on the Barnett Government’s sloppy Royalties for Regions program says the Cook Government’s Burswood racetrack reminds him of some of the botched projects under that same scheme he scrutinised seven years ago.

John Langoulant, WA’s recent agent-general to London, under treasurer and the man former premier Mark McGowan selected to probe major Barnett government projects in 2017, has delivered a scathing assessment of the racetrack, linking it to the Royalties for Regions bungles he unearthed.

“Well, if you read my inquiry report, which I did for the McGowan government, this project has got the cart well in front of the horse. There’s no business case,” Langoulant told this masthead.

“This project reminds me of being one of the Royalties for Regions projects that I looked at, and there were a large number of those where the cart was so far ahead of the horse and the outcome was a camel.”

Langoulant’s comments will sting the Cook government, given his lengthy history as a trusted hand Labor could call on for public service and his role in exposing shoddy Barnett government project management through his special inquiry.

Labor has held up his inquiry report as the Bible of Liberal and National financial mismanagement ever since it was tabled in parliament in 2018, when McGowan said it had “shone a light on what was a grossly incompetent and financially reckless government”.

“The development of a permanent racetrack between a five-star hotel and a five-star sporting stadium seems so incongruous, it’s hard to believe it would be conceived of.”

John Langoulant

“The lessons learned from this irresponsible period of government in WA must be acknowledged by all relevant parties, to ensure the mismanagement of the state’s finances and major projects and programs is never repeated,” McGowan said in a statement at the time.

Langoulant, who is also a nearby resident of the future racetrack, said it was ill-conceived and inappropriate for the area.

“By all measures, this isn’t a great project. It’s had no considered planning. It seems to have no community support. In fact, we can’t find anyone who thinks this is a good idea,” he said.

“The development of a permanent racetrack between a five-star hotel and a five-star sporting stadium seems so incongruous, it’s hard to believe it would be conceived of.”

Langoulant took aim at the government’s lack of business case for the project and claims the racetrack would utilise existing road networks right next to the river “beggars belief”.

“Aren’t we better than that? What do we want to present the city of Perth to the world community as between a five-star hotel and a five-star sports stadium? We put a permanent motor car racetrack?” he said.

“It just seems hard to concede why that’s a good idea.

“This isn’t an anti-development. This is to say, ‘Have we really thought about what the that park could best be used for, which would complement the existing infrastructure?’” he said.

Opposition leader Basil Zempilas invoked Langoulant’s name on Wednesday noting he was attending a press conference where opponents of the project were releasing their own economic analysis of the project.

“He, like many others, understands this is not the right project,” he said.

Treasurer Rita Saffioti said Langoulant was a part of the protest group and had met with the state as a local resident opposing the track.

She said the independent business case will be completed in coming weeks and submitted to Infrastructure WA.

Langoulant attended the release of economic modelling by planning expert John Syme at Parliament House on Wednesday.

Syme, who is also an East Perth resident was hired by the Save Burswood Park alliance to conduct an economic impact of the racetrack on the city.

His conclusion was that thousands of the 16,300 extra people the WA Planning Commission anticipated to live on or near the Burswood peninsula by 2036 may not do so because of the reduced liveability.

In the report, Syme claimed if, in a worst-case scenario, 12,000 fewer people moved to the area by 2036 because of the racetrack, it could cost the state $1.8 billion in additional costs by feeding urban sprawl to house those people elsewhere.

Saffioti rejected Syme’s argument, and his report, and said the racetrack and associated features of the precinct – such as a 10,000-seat amphitheatre – would bring people to the area.

”He put his argument to the state government in June, however his assumption that people won’t want to live in a vibrant, inner-city area is fundamentally flawed,” she said.

“A key feature of any successful city is to have vibrancy, activity and quality public amenities. This is what makes living in and around a city appealing.

“The Perth Entertainment and Sporting Precinct will only enhance public infrastructure, the parklands and create a vibrant hub of activity – either through music, sport or recreation.”

Saffioti said the project would enhance the local area, diversify jobs and help make Perth a major event capital.

“In addition to this project, the State Government is also building a new primary school in East Perth and will soon open the new public aquatic facility at the redeveloped WACA Ground, making East Perth an even more appealing place for Western Australians to live, work and play,” she said.

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