PERTH, Australia Tucked far away, beyond forbidding deserts on the way to nowhere, sits Perth, one of Australia's least-discovered cities. Indeed, most Australians seem never to have even visited Perth, and many of its residents would prefer it remained that way. But Perth's days of quiet anonymity may be numbered. China's voracious appetite for resources, from iron ore to natural gas, has prompted a boom in Western Australia's mining industry and money is flowing into its capital, Perth, as businesses move in.

Perth is one of those cities where suburbs dominate the social scene. Crickets can still be heard downtown after dark, but the pubs and clubs in the outskirts are busy every night of the week. On the coast sits the biggest suburb of all, the chic city of Fremantle and the white-sand beaches along the Indian Ocean.

HOTELS
A brisk walk from downtown, the Hyatt Regency has 367 rooms that start at 195 Australian dollars, or $137, a night: (618) 9225-1234. Slightly closer to the central business district is the Sheraton Perth Hotel, whose 387 elegant rooms are situated so that virtually all of them have at least an oblique view of the Swan River. Rooms start at 148 dollars: (618) 9224-7777. For a livelier setting, stay across the river at the InterContinental Burswood Resort Perth. The Burswood may be farther from the center, but it is a world unto itself, with an indoor and outdoor pool, an 18-hole golf course, a convention center and a 24-hour casino. The Burswood's 432 rooms and suites start at 216 dollars a night: (618) 9362-7777.

DINING/BARS
Fraser's Restaurant sits next to King's Park on a hill with fabulous views of the city skyline and the Swan River. It is a busy place, serving modern Australian cuisine that has become so popular among businessfolk that it offers a Web site where tables can be reserved: www.frasersrestaurant.com.au; or call (618) 9481-7100. Another favorite for sophisticated local fare is Balthazar's, on the edge of the business district near the river's edge. Many people visit Balthazar's just for its wine bar: (618) 9421-1206.

Another popular place is a traditional pub in the Subiaco Hotel, which has managed to stay as trendy as the surrounding neighborhood of the same name: (618) 9381-3069. Next door to the pub, the Subiaco Hotel serves delicious food, including a very reliable porterhouse steak and a rich sticky toffee pudding too wonderful not to share. Perthites generally set aside Sunday afternoons to observe their reverence for fermentation and on nice days the crowds spill out of the pubs onto the sidewalks. One of the best locations for this activity is the Cottesloe Beach Hotel, where you can watch the weekend fade out as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean.

HEALTH CLUBS
Perth has marvelously temperate weather, so you can supplement your hotel's pool or gym with a run down the Swan River. Bike trails along the river will take you all the way to Fremantle if your legs will follow. If you just want a taste of the urban gym scene, though, CBD Health Spa is in the center of town and is open 24 hours a day: (618) 9221-9900.

CULTURE
No visit to Perth would be complete with a side trip to Fremantle, or Freo, as the locals call it. Fremantle lost the America's Cup in 1987, but remains home to Western Australia's maritime heritage and the excellent Western Australian Maritime Museum, which houses the yacht that won the America's Cup in 1983 and a genuine attack submarine. After visiting the museum, you can have fish and chips on the marina, sample excellent local pale ale at Little Creatures and then dine on fresh seafood at the Red Herring, (618) 9339-1611, beside Fremantle's old oyster beds.

CELLPHONES
Australia is on the GSM standard, so visitors who have subscribed to roaming services should receive excellent coverage citywide. If you want a local number, both Optus and Telstra rent prepaid SIM cards, which you can find at most auto service stations and department stores. Telstra also runs a network on the CDMA standard.

TIPPING
Diners may leave tips for unusually good service and spare change is often left behind at bars, but tipping is not customary
http://www.iht.com/articles/536380.htm

Pretty flimsy report about Perth its much better than that and is starting to go into another boom cycle.Watch out the rest of OZ.

Western Australian economy surges ahead
The Western Australian domestic economy has surged to its highest growth rate in six years, growing by eight per cent in 2003-04, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released today.

The growth was underpinned by an 18 per cent increase in business investment (2003-04) and a 35.7 per cent increase in public investment (Q4, 2003-04).

State Development Minister Clive Brown said the strong growth was a direct result of the Gallop Government attracting new industries and new investment to WA.

"The Gallop Government has worked hard to build a stronger economy and create new jobs and opportunities for Western Australians," Mr Brown said.

"When we came to office, the WA economy had stalled, shrinking by 0.9 per cent in 2000-01.

"We have now achieved three years of strong growth, created more than 52,000 jobs and reached the lowest unemployment on current records."

Mr Brown said the strong growth in the WA economy had been achieved despite the neglect of the Howard Government.

"The Gallop Government has been forced to go it alone in developing the WA economy," he said.

"We have been forced to go it alone in investing in industrial infrastructure, forced to go it alone in investing in mineral exploration and forced to go it alone in expanding the exporting capacities of the ports of Geradlton, Dampier, Esperance, Bunbury, Albany, Port Hedland and Fremantle.

"With the Howard Government receiving the vast majority of revenues from our major industrial and resources projects, it is hardly fair for us to be going it alone, but we will continue to do so for the benefit of all Western Australians."
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/media/media.nsf/0c079b992e7e607a48256a5a0016e16b/703c5d2eef018f7548256f02001abbe4/Statement/0.1234?OpenElement&FieldElemFormat=gif

Independence time !!!

lol.

Record consultation exercise delivers long-term planning strategy for Perth
7/9/04
Network City - a community-generated planning vision to guide Perth's future growth and development over the next three decades - has been released for public comment.

This morning, key local government representatives, industry and community members joined Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan in launching the plan, which will now be subject to a formal three-month advertising period.

The plan is the result of Dialogue with the City, a massive community consultation exercise held in September, 2003 involving more than 1,100 Perth and Peel residents.

Following Dialogue, a representative group of about 100 Dialogue participants from the community, local government and industry worked with the State Government on specialist committees to create Network City.

The resulting plan identifies strategies to manage population growth and urban sprawl over the next 30 years so the quality of life residents now enjoy can be maintained.

The plan recognises that the majority of Perth residents still want a house on a block but more than 40 per cent of those surveyed as part of Dialogue find medium density housing an increasingly attractive option.

It also recognises that everyone can benefit from having more intense development concentrated around transport hubs and corridors, giving local communities an opportunity to have town centres that really work - offering action, entertainment and employment.

"By 2031, the projected total population of Perth and Peel will be more than 2.2 million - a 52 per cent increase on 2001 figures," Ms MacTiernan said.

"For the first time, we have a document that attempts to answer the hard questions - where will these people live, work, learn and play, and how will they travel?"

The plan is guided by three core principles:
-to enhance efficiency of urban land use and infrastructure
-to protect and rehabilitate the environment and improve resource efficiency and energy use
-to enhance community vitality and cohesiveness

"It has been fantastic to see members of the community, including our local government and industry representatives, coming to terms with the issues and being prepared to contribute to developing a plan aimed at making Perth the world's most liveable city," the Minister said.

"In the past, infill development has often been inappropriately placed and created some community backlash - this plan says we can do better."

Some of the strategies outlined in a comprehensive action plan include:
-managing urban growth through the staging of development
-providing the majority of new dwellings in existing urban areas
-developing local strategies and partnerships between State and local government
-promoting increased housing diversity
-revitalising existing suburbs and centres
-developing economic and employment strategies for growth corridors and centres
-protecting biodiversity and areas of environmental significance
-preparing transport plans aimed at reducing car dependency
-enhancing the safety and efficiency of transport corridors
-promoting transit-oriented developments
-developing a whole-of-government approach to ensure all Government agencies work together to achieve the plan's outcomes
-using the provision of infrastructure to influence the timing and location of growth

Ms MacTiernan said while Cabinet had already expressed support for Network City's guiding principles, the community document would now be put out for public comment before a final version was formally adopted by the State Government.

"Implementation can only be achieved through active collaboration with local councils and residents," she said.

"Local government will play a vital role in the roll-out of this vision.

"It is crucial that individual councils understand that this is a plan that requires all tiers of government to come together in equal partnership to achieve Network City's objectives."

During the next three months, workshops will be held with councils across the metropolitan area.

Network City is available online at http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/dialogue or by phoning 1300 735 560.

Minister's office: 9213 6400

What the stakeholders say……
'The Dialogue with the City approach enhanced local government and community involvement in the planning process on behalf of wider community. The implementation strategy documented in Network City is expected to ensure sustainable outcomes for all sectors of the community.'

Eric Lumsden, CEO City of Swan and chair, Local Government Liaison Team.

'The community wanted us to stop further urban sprawl and make better use of existing public infrastructure. We have delivered this in the plan by focusing new development around centres along high frequency public transport routes. This approach means we can protect the places that are important to community (parks, bush, wetlands, etc) but take a responsible approach to sustainable development.'

Carey Curtis, Senior Lecturer, Urban and Regional Planning, Curtin University.

'Shelter WA strongly supports Network City's commitment to increase affordable housing. Housing affordability in Perth has continued to decline since the late 90s, despite record levels of new housing construction.'

Karel Eringa, executive officer, Shelter WA.

'If we are serious about protecting the important environmental values of the Perth region, then we need to look at all the ways that the city interacts with our environment. A city that continually grows outwards will find it difficult to protect our special bushland, wetland and aquatic areas in the future. Network City looks for ways to better protect our existing natural areas and open space while also looking for all the opportunities to make better use of land in the urban area.'

Nicole Hodson, convenor, WA Collaboration (Conservation Council of WA, Ethnic Communities of WA, Council of Churches WA, Unions WA, WACOSS).

'The creation of a sustainable city is about ensuring that social, economic and environmental settings are applied intelligently and in balance. Sustainability is about creating a built environment that is attractive and serves its citizens - a place that feels as good as it looks and that functions well. That is what the Network City vision is seeking to achieve.'

Adrian Fini, CEO Mirvac Fini WA, Pty Ltd.

'The Sustainable Transport Coalition applauds the development of this strategy as a meaningful response to the urgent need to encourage a greater use of public transport and make our transport systems more sustainable. Importantly, we support urgent action on bringing together planning and transport processes as a response to the prospect of rising oil prices over the 25-year time period covered by the strategy. Evidence is pointing to a future when world demand for oil will be higher than supplies and the cost of private transport will increase. The proposed Network City concepts will allow Perth to avoid the social and environmental problems of similar car-dependent American cities and to maintain our high quality of life for our children, and their children.'

Dr David Worth, convenor of WA's Sustainable Transport Coalition.

'Research supporting the Network City strategy clearly indicated the need to rethink the location and design of employment centres - to provide more potential for recreation, cultural and social opportunities near to places of work. A key to delivering this desire is to provide jobs in local areas to build vital and vibrant employment centres that foster interaction and innovation.'

Peter H Why, chief executive, Zemke Australia, Managers of Technology Park.

'Network City is important for the future of Perth. We are in the residential development sector; the way we are designing and delivering our new communities is changing already. We need our new residential developments to have better community facilities, particularly focussed on improved transport and where possible more local jobs, Network City encourages these things to happen.'

Nick Perrignon, general manager, Stockland, national residential property developer.