Kimberley set up to play greater role in export economy

28/4/93

The Kimberley region is poised to play an increasingly important role in Western Australia's export economy, Deputy Premier Hendy Cowan said.

Speaking in Kununurra, Mr Cowan said the Kimberley had broadened its economic base in recent years and was showing a lead for the rest of the State in terms of regional development.

Mr Cowan, the Minister for Commerce and Trade, has responsibility for regional development and is currently visiting regional development authorities in the North of the State.

In Kununurra, he held talks with members of the Kimberley Development Commission and also released the first edition of a new publication detailing economic conditions in the Kimberley region.

The publication - compiled by the Department of Commerce and Trade - is one of a series of regular editions which will cover all nine regions covered by development authorities and commissions.

Mr Cowan said the Kimberley region was experiencing strong population growth uncharacteristic of most other parts of the State.  This growth was generated by the improved performance of a diverse range of industries.

He expected regional development authorities to play a more dominant role in interpreting economic and market trends and capitalising on them by identifying development projects suited to their regions and acting as a catalyst to their establishment.

They would also need to monitor social aspects of increased development.

Mr Cowan said the Kimberley's agricultural, horticultural, mining, pastoral, pearling and tourism industries provided a secure and diverse economic base from which further development could proceed.

"The region is one of the fastest-growing in Western Australia and it has been estimated that the current population of 25,000 could almost double by the year 2021," he said.

"While the more traditional resource development projects remain the region's largest economic activity - contributing more than $700 million annually to the State's economy - horticulture also had increasingly bright prospects.

"Irrigated horticulture has grown rapidly in recent years, capitalising on out-of-season domestic markets in Australia's southern capitals and new markets in South-East Asia.  The current annual value of this production is $30 million."

Horticulture and the pastoral industries have been associated mainly with the Ord River irrigation area, which Mr Cowan inspected yesterday.

He said at last count, the area supported 60 different crops, ranging from maize to rockmelons and bananas.  Increases in cropped land in the past three years had been dramatic and the value of production had more than doubled since 1988.

Mr Cowan is currently visiting Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha and Carnarvon.

Media contact: Peter Jackson 222 9595