❓ The Minister for Planning and Lands outlines how the ECU inner-city campus and proposed housing projects are revitalising Perth's CBD, citing increased foot traffic, student housing development, and a drop in vacancy rates. The Minister contrasts these successes with the previous Lord Mayor's (now Liberal leader) tenure, accusing him of delivering 'nothing' and leaving the city with high vacancy rates.
AnsweredQoN 329Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Edith Cowan University campus—Perth CBD
329. Mr Dan Bull to the
Minister for Planning and Lands:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's efforts to revitalise Perth's CBD.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house
how the Edith Cowan University inner-city campus alongside proposed housing
projects in the Perth City Link are activating Perth's CBD?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how
these proposals to activate the city compared to alternative proposals?
329. Mr Dan Bull to the
Minister for Planning and Lands:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's efforts to revitalise Perth's CBD.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house
how the Edith Cowan University inner-city campus alongside proposed housing
projects in the Perth City Link are activating Perth's CBD?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how
these proposals to activate the city compared to alternative proposals?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I can. I am very proud that our state
government has, with the federal government and the commissioners at the City
of Perth at the time, enabled the ECU city campus, an $853 million investment,
which has now come to fruition. Members only have to go into the city to see how
it is alive. The around 8,000 students who are now in the heart of the city are
bringing foot traffic for small business. Yagan Square is now vibrant and
alive. What we are seeing with that is a new boom in student housing. I believe
four student housing towers are under construction, which will bring in more
life and vitality. This is the point: investment in infrastructure matters and
investment that enables new housing in the heart of the city drives activity.
Earlier this year, CBRE looked
at the vacancy rates of the city and saw a sharp drop. It said:
The key factors attributable to
this general improvement include WA's robust macro-economic conditions, the 'watershed
moment' opening of the ECU City Campus in February 2026, growth in the city's
student accommodation sector and growth in tourism numbers. The ECU City Campus
has already had some impact on lowering vacancy levels which will be heightened
once ECU City is fully operational.
It shows that it is worthwhile.
Compare that to the Liberal leader and his spruiking and his record at the City
of Perth. Let me be very clear: he left the city with the highest CBD vacancy
rates in the country. That is his record that he proudly spruiks. Of course, he
also claimed credit, interestingly, for the ECU city campus, in his election
material. That is kind of bizarre because I was there at the announcement with
the Deputy Premier. It was the federal government and the city commissioners.
But he said "we have delivered" the ECU city campus—under
construction. That is false. Mind you, he also said they delivered four new
homelessness shelters. I do not know what he did, because there was not any
funding and there was not any support, but he claimed credit for it. He also
claimed they were delivery partners for a new primary school in East Perth. But
he goes on, claiming credit for Wellington Square, a decision made by the
commissioners. He claims credit for the Purple CAT service, funded and
initiated by the state government. That is it. It is no wonder he is obsessed
with shopping hours. We cannot actually point to anything he built in the city
during his tenure. There is zero infrastructure. It was agreed to and delivered
by the commissioners, with the state and federal governments. It is no wonder
he fixated on rubbish—on getting the Commonwealth Games at a billion dollars and
on a Coachella music festival, because we know how he loves to dance on
podiums. There was the river plan for a billion dollars. It makes sense, coming
from the Liberal leader right now, that the best he has for city renewal—after
his failure in building nothing—is to say shopping hours. Of course, the irony
is he points to international cities like London, where there are six hours of
shopping on a Sunday; and like Paris, like other cities that in fact have more
restricted shopping hours. This is the point about the Liberal leader: he
generates thought bubble after thought bubble because during his time as the
Lord Mayor, he delivered nothing.
government has, with the federal government and the commissioners at the City
of Perth at the time, enabled the ECU city campus, an $853 million investment,
which has now come to fruition. Members only have to go into the city to see how
it is alive. The around 8,000 students who are now in the heart of the city are
bringing foot traffic for small business. Yagan Square is now vibrant and
alive. What we are seeing with that is a new boom in student housing. I believe
four student housing towers are under construction, which will bring in more
life and vitality. This is the point: investment in infrastructure matters and
investment that enables new housing in the heart of the city drives activity.
Earlier this year, CBRE looked
at the vacancy rates of the city and saw a sharp drop. It said:
The key factors attributable to
this general improvement include WA's robust macro-economic conditions, the 'watershed
moment' opening of the ECU City Campus in February 2026, growth in the city's
student accommodation sector and growth in tourism numbers. The ECU City Campus
has already had some impact on lowering vacancy levels which will be heightened
once ECU City is fully operational.
It shows that it is worthwhile.
Compare that to the Liberal leader and his spruiking and his record at the City
of Perth. Let me be very clear: he left the city with the highest CBD vacancy
rates in the country. That is his record that he proudly spruiks. Of course, he
also claimed credit, interestingly, for the ECU city campus, in his election
material. That is kind of bizarre because I was there at the announcement with
the Deputy Premier. It was the federal government and the city commissioners.
But he said "we have delivered" the ECU city campus—under
construction. That is false. Mind you, he also said they delivered four new
homelessness shelters. I do not know what he did, because there was not any
funding and there was not any support, but he claimed credit for it. He also
claimed they were delivery partners for a new primary school in East Perth. But
he goes on, claiming credit for Wellington Square, a decision made by the
commissioners. He claims credit for the Purple CAT service, funded and
initiated by the state government. That is it. It is no wonder he is obsessed
with shopping hours. We cannot actually point to anything he built in the city
during his tenure. There is zero infrastructure. It was agreed to and delivered
by the commissioners, with the state and federal governments. It is no wonder
he fixated on rubbish—on getting the Commonwealth Games at a billion dollars and
on a Coachella music festival, because we know how he loves to dance on
podiums. There was the river plan for a billion dollars. It makes sense, coming
from the Liberal leader right now, that the best he has for city renewal—after
his failure in building nothing—is to say shopping hours. Of course, the irony
is he points to international cities like London, where there are six hours of
shopping on a Sunday; and like Paris, like other cities that in fact have more
restricted shopping hours. This is the point about the Liberal leader: he
generates thought bubble after thought bubble because during his time as the
Lord Mayor, he delivered nothing.
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