Cities-in-desert future for WA
OLIN Barnett has revealed a cities-in-the-desert vision for WA, saying he wants to create Dubai-like regional centres in the state's north.
Faced with Perth's unrelenting urban sprawl, WA's 29th premier-elect says he wants to redistribute the state's population away from the city.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Barnett said it was ludicrous that three in four West Australians lived in Perth and he promised to develop a 50-year-plan for the state.
He said a severe lack of services in many areas was due to the fact that most West Australians lived in Perth.
"Look at Queensland. It has 11 cities outside Brisbane and the Gold Coast area with populations of more than 50,000 people. We have one in WA - Bunbury,'' Mr Barnett said.
"Our failure to build regional cities is one of the greatest failings of modern WA history.
"We have to develop the Kimberley and improve living situations in the Pilbara.
"People go and live in places like Dubai. Talk about a harsh environment, yet thousands of people go there to live because they have a comfortable environment.
"What we have done in the Pilbara, in a harsh landscape and with a seriously hot summer, is that we have built replica suburbs of Perth.
"There is something to learn from Dubai. Maybe we need to build apartments with airconditioning and swimming pools.
"Living conditions in the Pilbara are where they were in the 1950s and '60s.
"We need to provide better health services and education. We are going backwards.''
Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show WA's estimated population is just over two million people.
About 1.5 million live in Perth.
Monash University demographer Bob Birrell has predicted Perth's population will soar by 2021 to 2.1 million.
An influx of 640,000 people over the next 13 years would represent the fastest rate of growth for any Australian city in history.
WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls agreed yesterday the state's north could be developed into a series of regional cities with populations of more than 50,000 each.
"I would have thought that Karratha, Broome and Kununurra would have been perfect to develop as regional cities because of the water and fertile land,'' Mr Grylls said.
"We have been saying this for a while: don't bring water south -- take the people to the water.
"If you can get the populations around these centres, you will get the schools, hospitals and universities up there as well.''
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