PERTH- The leaders of 7 Perth councils, led by Lord Mayor of Perth Basil Zempilas, today announced that they had sent a letter to Premier Anacornda demanding the removal of Stage 5 water restrictions. These restrictions, put in place during the Karratha water crisis, were made to preserve water, and reduced the amount of days that residents of 32 Perth councils were allowed to water their gardens from 3 days a week to 1 day a week.

Lord Mayor Zempilas stated today that "the restrictions have and always will be authoritarian and needless. The continued existence of them even after rainfall in the West Pilbara shows that the government doesn't care." Mayors that have signed onto this letter include leaders at Belmont, Stirling, Canning, Claremont, Cottlesloe, Perth and Nedlands councils.

The text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Mx Premier,

As leaders of local governments in the Perth area, we are writing to you asking for an end to current excessive water restrictions that were implemented on 30 January 2021. Given that rainfall has now thankfully returned to the West Pilbara, Perth residents no longer need to be subject to these suffocating restrictions. We are asking for these restrictions to be eased to at least Stage 3 status, giving Perth residents the chance to once again water their gardens 3 days a week.