Kwinana locals have mixed feelings about WA’s plan to move Fremantle’s container port operations down to Kwinny.
On the one hand, it will be a great boon for the area in respect to jobs in the area but on the other hand they are worried what other aspects of Freo life might be imported along the way.
We spoke to Big Ken who reckons it’s a bad idea. Citing a Saturday afternoon he spent down in Freo once. He told The Times,
“We take on Freo’s container port duties and what else do we get? Fark me mate, this hippie strung out on wacky tobaccy was hysterically giggling while trying to cross a little farken toight rope thing, I don’t want me kids seeing that at local parks!”
Playing the Devil’s Advocate, we told Big Ken that the Freo Port itself wasn’t moving and that they were just building a new port in Kwinana. He rebuked that quickly,
“Nah cos that port and it’s operations are the heart ‘n soul of Freo, that’s what started it roight? You can’t tell me there no chance of cross contamination of cultures?”
We joked, it could be cross-containeration but Big Ken was having none of it. Threatening to meet us outside Kwinny Chicken Treat to see if we still thought it was a big joke.
We also spoke to Suze who has been fixture in the City of Kwinana and is the reason the shoe store has that sign telling people that there’s only one shoe in the box at the Kwinny shops. She told The Times,
“WA Labor is trying to make Kwinana the new Freo and we only respect one crystal down this way!”
Again, playing the Devil’s Advocate, we told Suze that her two greatest passions: gear and theft were also rife in Freo and it could be a better fit than she thought.
Alas, it may take some time to convince the locals.
Documenting the Human Zoo is thirsty work, so if you enjoyed what you read how about buying Belle a beer, ay?