Constance rallies town to protest insurance costs

High insurance premiums for Pilbara property owners are at the centre of the latest petition doing the rounds across the region.

Hosted by Port Hedland’s Health and Beauty Shed owner Terry Constance, the petition is urging the Senate to cap insurance premiums at an affordable amount and requests that a watchdog be formed to watch over the insurance industry in northern Australia.

Ms Constance said she pioneered the petition, with the help of the Port Hedland Ratepayers Association, after hearing countless customers complain about the rise in expenses living in the Pilbara.

“It seems like we’re paying high rates in every sector: rates, power, insurance, airfares,” she said.

“I feel we’re just being targeted because we’re in the North West.

“Just because it’s a mining town and there’s cyclones, they use that to lift up premiums.

“We should be paying the same about as our neighbours to the south.

“I’ve lived here so long and watched prices go up and up and I thought someone needs to stand up and speak for the people.”

Ms Constance said the response so far had been nothing short of amazing, with almost 200 people signing the petition in the past three weeks.

“We will be running it for about another fortnight,” she said.

“I want as many as we can get. There’s 10,000 people in this town — let’s get 10,000 signatures.”

Once the petition ends, Ms Constance plans to send it to the Federal Government.

Copies of the petition can be found at the Health and Beauty Shed.

Signatures can be brought into the store or sent to 56 Trumpet Way, South Hedland, WA 6722.