- Cook Labor Government launches Seven Cities
vision for regional Western Australia
- Bunbury,
Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, Karratha, Broome, Geraldton, and Albany identified as
critical to the government's economic vision for WA
- 2026-27
State Budget and future Budgets to support vision's delivery
The Cook Labor Government has today launched its Seven Cities vision for
regional Western Australia - a long-term plan to unlock the next wave of
regional economic development and deliver quality infrastructure and services throughout
the State.
While traditional industries like mining, agriculture, and tourism will
continue to thrive, the seven regional cities of Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Port
Hedland, Karratha, Broome, Geraldton, and Albany have been identified as
critical to the government's vision for WA to become a renewable energy
powerhouse and make more things in WA.
As part of the 2026-27 State Budget and future budgets, the Cook Labor Government
will continue investing in the economic infrastructure needed to bring new
job-creating projects to fruition, including in industrial land, energy, water,
transport, and the environment.
To support the skilled local workforce required by industry, the
government will also prioritise investment in housing, health, and other public
services in the Seven Cities, so they can expand their roles as hubs for the
delivery of services to their regions.
The government will also expand its commitment to free and low-fee TAFE
in these cities.
Seven Cities will build upon the Cook Labor Government's strong record of
ongoing investment and achievements in regional Western Australia, which
includes:
- investing
in planning and common user infrastructure in the Kemerton, Boodarie, Maitland,
and Oakakee Strategic Industrial Areas;
- expanding
Lumsden Point in partnership with the Commonwealth Government so Port Hedland
can become a trade hub for lithium, copper, and renewable energy infrastructure,
such as wind turbines and blades;
- partnering
with Rio Tinto to expand the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant, providing
drinking water to 10,000 homes in Karratha, Wickham, Roebourne, and Point
Sampson;
- upgrading
the historic Goldfields Water Supply Scheme to support industrial expansion,
including in Kalgoorlie;
- investing
in Broome's wastewater and water infrastructure to support its development
beyond 2050;
- delivering
major roadworks, including the Albany Ring Road and Bunbury Outer Ring Road -
the largest regional transport project in WA's history; and
- redeveloping
major regional hospitals, including the Geraldton Health Campus and Bunbury
Regional Hospital – the largest regional hospital construction project in WA's
history.
Housing availability has been identified as the next area for priority
investment, both to house the skilled workforce that industry will need and
house the government workers that will be needed to deliver frontline services.
As part of that, more than 500 homes will be delivered for regional
frontline workers in partnership with WA's resources industry, the biggest-ever
Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) build to boost GROH in key regional
cities and meet projected demand through to 2030.
Other Seven Cities initiatives included as part of the 2026-27 State
Budget include:
- $89.1
million for key upgrades at Bunbury's Casuarina Boat Harbour;
- $60
million to deliver a new 32-bed modular ward at Albany Health Campus;
- $45
million to support increased services between Perth and Bunbury when the
Australind train service reopens next month;
- $40.7
million to deliver up to 111 new lots in the Broome North residential estate;
- $38.4
million for land assembly and water supply studies at Kemerton Strategic
Industrial Area (SIA) near Bunbury and water supply studies and design works on
an infrastructure corridor at Boodarie SIA near Port Hedland;
- $14
million to continue and expand Broome bus services to ensure locals and
visitors have access to affordable and accessible public transport;
- $5
million to support Traditional Owner-led tourism and secure the long-term
future of visitor experiences at Garaan-ngaddim Horizontal Falls near Broome;
and
- $3.8
million to support Nexus Airlines' continued operation of the Inter-Regional
Flight Network (IRFN), providing direct links between Geraldton, Karratha, Port
Hedland and Broome, removing the need to travel via Perth.
Other priority areas will be identified as part of future budgets to help
the Seven Cities deliver the economic development required to keep WA's economy
the strongest in the nation.
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"Our regions have been central to Western Australia becoming the
strongest economy in the nation and will be critical to our future economic
success.
"While traditional industries like mining, agriculture and tourism will
continue to thrive, our regions will be front-and-centre to my government's
vision and becoming a renewable energy powerhouse and making more things here.
"To seize the big job-creating projects in front of us in regional WA, we
need the Seven Cities to have the economic infrastructure they need and to expand
as hubs to provide quality services to the towns and remote communities within
their regions."
Comments attributed to
Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson:
"In this year's State
Budget, the Cook Government is proud to be investing in a range of initiatives
that will help grow regional WA, promote future jobs, and make it a great place
to live and work.
"Our Seven Cities vision
is set to boost opportunities and drive economic growth across WA, ensuring all
communities benefit from improved infrastructure and services.
"By investing in our
regions and supporting the development of our regional cities, we are
strengthening the economic growth of our State, delivering benefits to all
Western Australians."
