The outlook for regional economic growth in Western Australia was extremely positive, Premier Carmen Lawrence said today.
Detailing the Government's plans for regional development, the Premier said it was essential that the economic base of regional areas be diversified to counter the cyclical nature of prices for primary produce.
"The basis for future economic growth in the regions lies in developing new manufacturing industries, the downstream processing of traditional primary produce and strengthening the services sector," Dr Lawrence said.
"The Government will work with local people to help them build on the economic strengths that already exist and take advantage of new opportunities as they arise."
Dr Lawrence said the Government's statement on regional development - `The Regional Advantage' - included:
· an expansion of community economic development initiatives;
· new assistance to local business and industry development;
· better use of communications technology;
· upgrading of road, shipping and air transport; and,
· an expansion of health and community services.
Dr Lawrence said the Government would establish four new regional development commissions - Gascoyne, Kimberley, Peel and Wheatbelt.
Offices for the new authorities would be established in Carnarvon and Exmouth (Gascoyne); Kununurra, Broome and Derby (Kimberley); Mandurah (Peel); and Moora, Northam, Narrogin and Merredin (Wheatbelt).
The South-West, Great Southern, Mid-West and Goldfields-Esperance regions would continue to operate under the existing development authority structure and the recently-established Pilbara Development Commission would service the Pilbara.
Dr Lawrence said the Government would provide $60 million over five years for regional development operations throughout the State.
The new commissions would take over the Department of State Development offices in the regions and would drive local development activities.
"Government services in the regions will be targeted more to the needs of individual regions. To achieve this we will establish better consultative mechanisms," the Premier said.
She said the Government would provide $1 million for a regional enterprise development initiative scheme to provide capital to expand existing regional businesses.
Other important initiatives included:
· expansion of the local enterprise centre scheme;
· establishment of economic development taskforces to address specific economic issues within regions;
· promotion of the development of tourism infrastructure in regional areas;
· establishment of a taskforce to encourage the operation of international air services from northern airports;
· development of a communications strategy to improve the availability of services to regional areas;
· declaration of two new national parks in the North-West;
· support for heritage studies in the regions;
· establishment of a social justice strategies council to promote the principles of equity, rights, access and participation on a state-wide basis; and,
· extension of support for high school hostels to ensure access to secondary education.
Dr Lawrence said the decisions contained in `The Regional Advantage' demonstrated the Government's commitment to regional development.
"The Government recognises that Western Australia's leading position in national economic growth is underpinned by activities in regional areas of the State," she said.
"It is time to build on the strength of our regional advantage, seizing new opportunities and aggressively selling our products into new international markets."
