Western Australians, we're either city people or we're not

Press/Media: Press / Media

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The population flow between Perth and the rest of WA has fallen to its lowest rate in decades, new analysis of long-term Census data shows. On raw numbers, fewer people are decamping from Perth to the rest of WA than at any time since the early 1980s. As a percentage of Perth’s population, the outflow has halved.
University of Western Australia geographic economist Kirsten Martinus said the state’s continuing centralisation trend was something that needed to be addressed by government. “I think it is something that is concerning and we do need to look to address it through policy because if we just leave it, the disparities between Perth and the regional areas will keep getting bigger and Perth will keep gaining more population,” Ms Martinus said. “The idea is to get a little bit more balance and the only way to do that is by getting a bit more strategic in the way we look at our employment centres.”

Period23 May 2018

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleWestern Australians, we're either city people or we're not
    Degree of recognitionNational
    Media name/outletWAToday
    Media typePrint
    Country/TerritoryAustralia
    Date23/05/18
    DescriptionThe population flow between Perth and the rest of WA has fallen to its lowest rate in decades, new analysis of long-term Census data shows. On raw numbers, fewer people are decamping from Perth to the rest of WA than at any time since the early 1980s. As a percentage of Perth’s population, the outflow has halved.
    University of Western Australia geographic economist Kirsten Martinus said the state’s continuing centralisation trend was something that needed to be addressed by government. “I think it is something that is concerning and we do need to look to address it through policy because if we just leave it, the disparities between Perth and the regional areas will keep getting bigger and Perth will keep gaining more population,” Ms Martinus said. “The idea is to get a little bit more balance and the only way to do that is by getting a bit more strategic in the way we look at our employment centres.”
    Producer/AuthorConal Hanna & Heather McNeill
    URLhttps://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/western-australians-we-re-either-city-people-or-we-re-not-20180424-p4zbdf.html
    PersonsKirsten Martinus