INVEST IN AUSTRALIA’S WEST

THE EXTRAORDINARY STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Welcome to Western Australia.

It’s a big place. Big on opportunity; and big on optimism.

The largest of Australia’s states, Western Australia’s 2.5 million square kilometres cover a third of the country; and its 12 900 kilometre coastline is surrounded by two of the world’s biggest oceans; the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean.

2.3 million people from over 190 different countries call Western Australia home.

Western Australia lies in a similar time zone with the world’s most populous and dynamic economies and it is closer to Indonesia than it is to Sydney.

Western Australia is a truly extraordinary place. It enjoys a thriving economy, its geography is unique compared to anywhere else in the world, and it offers untold opportunity, whether for business or pleasure.

Western Australia

• Capital city: Perth

• Population: 2.3 million

• Area: 2.5 million square kilometres

(965 000 square miles)

• Coastline: 12 900 kilometres

• Time zone: GMT + 8hrs

• WA averages more hours of sunlight

per year than any other state

in Australia.

• WA covers five climatic zones.

• The South West is one of the world’s

25 biodiversity hotspots.

32

SINGAPORE3 896 km

MUMBAI7 265 km

HONG KONG6 006 km

Perth is Australia’s western capital. Its relaxed,

outdoor lifestyle makes it one of the most

liveable and enjoyable cities in the world.

(Officially, in 2011 it ranks as the eighth

most liveable, according to London’s The

Economist magazine).

Perth has a Mediterranean-style climate with

around 3 000 hours of sunshine every year.

It’s home to three-quarters of the people who

live in Western Australia. Beautiful beaches

and the crystal-clear waters of the Indian

Ocean are just a 15 minute drive from the

city centre.

Perth’s proximity to many Asian countries

and its sharing a similar time zone to them,

explains why it is now Australia’s fastest

growing economy.

It’s a modern, efficient and advanced city,

and a wonderful place to live and work.

Perth

• Population: 1.7 million

• Distance to Sydney: 3 288 km

• Distance to Jakarta: 3 002 km

• Distance to Singapore: 3 896 km

• Distance to Hong Kong: 6 006 km

• Distance to Mumbai: 7 265 km

• Closest Australian city to India and China

• Part of the Indian Ocean Rim group of

countries and cities

• Flying time to Singapore: 5 hours

• Average annual rainfall: 855 millimetres

• Mean temperatures: Max 24.4° Celsius,

Min 12.7° Celsius

BIG CITY

4 5

BIG FUTURE The Perth Waterfront Project is bringing

the majestic Swan River into the heart of

the central business district. It will transform

the area into a vibrant, round-the-clock hub

of activity. The plans include a mix of civic,

commercial, residential, retail, education

and cultural areas.

The Perth Riverside Project will provide

a stunning entry statement into the east

of the city. It will be a bustling place with

entertainment, commercial, retail, hotel and

residential uses, which take advantage of

its unique location on the banks of the

Swan River.

The Perth City Link Project will

reconnect the city centre with Northbridge

for the first time in more than 100 years

by putting public transport infrastructure

underground to deliver a new destination

for the city.

Perth will enjoy improved connectivity

through the city, access to public transport,

increased residential, retail and commercial

opportunities, and new public open spaces.

The Perth Cultural Centre is

transforming this inner-city precinct

into an exciting new destination for locals

and visitors.

The area houses Perth’s major learning

and cultural venues including the Western

Australian Museum, State Theatre Centre,

State Library of Western Australia and

Art Gallery of Western Australia.

• Estimated total project costs: A$2.6 billion

• Project size: 40 hectares

• Investment required: A$2.6 billion

• Project size: 10 hectares

• Project size: A$11 million

• Investment required: A$3 billion

• Project size: 13.5 hectares

76 Photo courtesy of Department of Planning

Western Australia is the powerhouse driving

Australia’s economy and a proudly export-

focussed state. Although the State has

only 10 per cent of the nation’s population,

it produces a staggering 46 per cent of

Australia’s total merchandise exports.

Over the past 10 years, Western Australia

has been the country’s fastest growing

economy. The State’s economy has grown

at a steady 4.4 per cent - a rate that’s

expected to continue. Perth hosts the

regional headquarters for several international

companies, such as Rio Tinto, Chevron,

AngloGold Ashanti and BHP Billiton.

Mineral resources and oil and gas form the

backbone of the State’s economy, but equally

important are the infrastructure and service

industries which support the mining and

exploration taking place.

Agriculture covers more than 100 million

hectares and 75 per cent of production is

exported. Perth’s Fremantle Port is the State’s

largest general cargo port and its container

trade has grown at an average of 8.4 per cent

a year over the past 20 years.

The WA economy

• Gross State Product (GSP) per capita:

A$81 159

• GSP: A$184 billion (2009/2010)

• Current value of iron ore production:

A$48.5 billion

• Current value of petroleum production:

A$22.9 billion

• Current value of gold production:

A$7.8 billion

• Current annual value of agriculture,

fisheries and forestry production:

A$6.1 billion

BIG BUSINESS

8 Photo courtesy of Fortesque Metals 9

B IG PROJECTS Western Australia openly welcomes foreign

investment that encourages the development

of its valuable natural resources.

In Western Australia, there are advanced

resource projects worth A$107 billion

underway, with further projects worth

A$194 billion at the planning stage.

The biggest resource project is the Gorgon

Liquefied Natural Gas Facility at Barrow Island

in the State’s north-west. It’s the largest

investment of its kind in Australia and is worth

A$43 billion.

In the East Kimberley Region, there’s a A$415

million joint State and Australian Government

initiative to double the Ord irrigation area. By

developing a further 14 000 hectares of land,

it will turn the area into a world-class irrigated

agricultural precinct.

The State Government is also developing

the Browse Liquefied Natural Gas Precinct

to maximise benefits to the local community

from the development of the highly prospective

Browse Basin. The basin has estimated

gas reserves of 35.2 trillion cubic feet.

The foundation project for the precinct

is valued at approximately A$30 billion.

Western Australian projects

• Western Australia’s exports in 2010-11:

A$112 billion

• Western Australia’s iron ore exports in

2010-11: A$56.8 billion

• The A$43 billion dollar Gorgon Gas Project

will provide enough fuel to power a city of

1 million people for 800 years.

• The Gorgon Project is a joint venture

between Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell.

• The WA Government recently

announced the A$30 billion Wheatstone

Project near Onslow.

• Ord River Irrigation Project will release

8 000 hectares of agricultural lots on

completion.

Photo courtesy of Woodside Energy Ltd 1110

BIG INFRASTRUCTUREThe Western Australian Government is

working closely with the private sector to

facilitate the development of new resource

projects and further develop industry

infrastructure.

The new Oakajee Port worth over A$5 billion

will provide an export port for the burgeoning

magnetite iron ore industry in the Mid-West

and will have an initial capacity of 45 million

tonnes per annum.

The State is also involved with the new

A$4 billion Anketell multi-user, multi-commodity,

deepwater port and industrial area which will

provide export infrastructure support to iron

ore producers in the Pilbara.

In addition, the State Government is investing

A$5 million dollars in the development of

key industrial estates throughout Western

Australia to support major projects and

industrial investment.

The Wheatstone Project was recently

announced by the State Government and

major proponents. The project has

already resulted in A$32 billion worth of

investment, and will become the nation’s

largest gas precinct.

Big infrastructure

• Anketell Port export potential: 350 million

tonnes per annum

• Anketell precinct: 1 400 hectares of

industrial land available

• The Ashburton North Strategic Industrial

Area includes a multi-user port and land

areas which will be completed in 2014.

• Oakajee Port project is expected to be

completed in 2015.

• Oakajee Port start up capacity: 45 million

tonnes per annum

0 1 2 3 4 5

BILLION INVESTMENT

A$5BA$4B

A$1.5B

OAKAGEE

ANKETELL

ONSLOW

45MILLION TONNES

12 Photo courtesy of Chevron 13

Western Australia has five world-class

universities – four in the State capital, Perth

and one in nearby Fremantle. Like all Western

Australia’s academic institutions, the

universities have strong links with industry

and well-established relationships with other

academic institutions around the Asia-Pacific

and Indian Ocean regions.

Western Australia’s universities work at the

forefront of science and technology and

are heavily involved in pioneering research

projects including medical science, renewable

energy, high-speed computing, desalination,

marine science, minerals and petroleum,

radio astronomy and agriculture.

In 2005, the Nobel Prize for medicine and for

physiology went to Barry Marshall and Robin

Warren - both professors at the University of

Western Australia.

State Government agencies are also

leaders in innovation. Through research and

international collaboration they play a leading

role in advanced food security,

environmental management, public health,

education and transport.

Western Australia’s wide range of schools,

vocational institutions, English language

colleges, and cultural and economic ties in

the region make it a popular destination

for international students and overseas

business professionals seeking to advance

their knowledge.

Education

• The University of Western Australia is ranked

among the world’s top 100 universities.

• Murdoch University is one of Australia’s leading

research and teaching universities.

• Curtin University is WA’s largest university

and specialises in applied engineering and

business studies.

• Edith Cowan University is the home to the

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

(WAAPA) – a leader in this field of study.

• Notre Dame University is a sister university to

Notre Dame in the United States.

BIG ON EDUCATION

1514 Photo courtesy of Notre Dame University

B IG GLOBAL VILLAGEPerth is a true global village; a multicultural

metropolis with people from over 190

countries speaking 270 different languages.

Three per cent of the State’s population

are Aboriginal, 27 per cent of the Western

Australian population were born overseas,

and almost half have at least one parent who

was born overseas.

This diverse mix of languages, cultures and

international relationships makes Western

Australians open and responsive to business

opportunities both in the region and around

the world.

As you’d expect from a place made up of

such a variety of people, Western Australia

has a vibrant culture and arts scene.

The State produces an extraordinary range of

musicians, actors, artists, writers, designers,

filmmakers and others from the creative

industries, many of whom now showcase their

talents in spotlights around the world.

A big global village

• 12 per cent of Western Australians speak

a language other than English at home

(the most common is Italian).

• The Whadjuk Noongar people have

lived near Perth’s Swan River for over

40 000 years.

• Western Australians follow over

100 different religions.

• Western Australia is home to one of the

world’s oldest Indigenous communities.

16 Photo courtesy of UWA 17

Western Australia’s warm, friendly and enviable

lifestyle and geographical proximity to the key

growing markets of Asia, combined with its

sophisticated, profitable and globally-orientated

economy, makes it the ideal business destination.

The State offers a commercial environment which

actively encourages growth and prosperity. A

stable, supportive government and transparent

legal and regulatory processes contribute

to its highly entrepreneurial culture. Western

Australia also has low sovereign risk, innovative

government policies, which actively encourage

development, and a highly-skilled workforce.

No wonder it’s home to over 63 per cent of

Australia’s resource development projects.

The State’s strong public finances, triple A credit

rating and sound financial systems, are among

the most successful in the world. There’s an

abundance of land and opportunities to invest in

resources, research and development, science,

agriculture, services, manufacturing and tourism.

So think big. Think Western Australia.

BIG PLANS

63%

State government investment

• Health infrastructure expenditure:

A$4.5 billion

• Education infrastructure expenditure:

A$1.6 billion

• Water infrastructure expenditure:

A$3.6 billion

• Energy infrastructure expenditure:

A$4.2 billion

DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMIC’S INVESTMENT MONITOR, 2011

© The West Australian 1918

Investment and trade support

Investment and trade opportunities are supported and developed by the Department of State Development, Western Australia. The Department has extensive experience and networks throughout international markets and can expand market opportunities by encouraging productive relationships between supply chain customers, government and industry organisations.

The Department of State Development assists businesses and organisations to capitalise on international export and investment opportunities. With the support of eleven independent international offices located around the world the Department offers a wide range of trade and investment services.

The Department:

• assists Western Australian exporters with overseas markets

• advises on market entry strategies

• identifies business opportunities in established and emerging markets

• represents Western Australia’s strategic interests in trade development and free trade agreements

• facilitates inbound investment

• arranges customer fact finding missions

• provides statistical, trade and market analysis

• coordinates Government approval processes

• advises on Government incentive schemes.

ContactsDepartment of State Development Level 6, 1 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth Western Australia, 6004Telephone: +61 8 9222 0555Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: dsd@dsd.wa.gov.auWebsite: www.dsd.wa.gov.au

Trade and Invest Hotline: +61 8 9222 0491 (9.00am – 5.00pm GMT)

Email: thinkbig@dsd.wa.gov.au Website: www.dsd.wa.gov.au/thinkbig

Western Australian contact:Nathan Backhouse - Director International Trade and InvestmentTelephone: +61 8 9222 0461Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: nathan.backhouse@dsd.wa.gov.au

Sonia Grinceri - General Manager Overseas MarketsTelephone: +61 8 9222 0925Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: sonia.grinceri@dsd.wa.gov.au This document is available on request in alternative formats such as large type, audio tape, USB drive or Braille. © October 2011 Department of State Development.

Cover image by Carly Donohue

EUROPE

Western Australian contact:Sarah Woods – Manager EuropeTelephone: +61 8 9222 0422Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: sarah.woods@dsd.wa.gov.au

London contact:Kerry Sanderson – Agent GeneralGovernment of Western AustraliaTelephone: +44 20 7240 2881Facsimile: +44 20 7240 6637Email: kerry.sanderson@wago.co.uk

INDIA

Western Australian contact:John Shute – Manager IndiaTelephone: +61 8 9222 0495Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: john.shute@dsd.wa.gov.au

Mumbai contact:Peter Forby – Regional DirectorWestern Australian Trade OfficeTelephone: +91 22 6630 3973Facsimile: +91 22 6630 3977Email: peter.forby@dsd.wa.gov.au INDONESIA

Western Australian contact:Richelle Gornik – Manager South East AsiaTelephone: +61 8 9222 0465Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: richelle.gornik@dsd.wa.gov.au Jakarta contact:Martin Newbery – Regional DirectorWestern Australian Trade OfficeTelephone: +6221 5290 2860Facsimile: +6221 5296 2722Email: martin.newbery@dsd.wa.gov.au

JAPAN

Western Australian contact:Richelle Gornik – Manager JapanTelephone: +61 8 9222 0465Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: richelle.gornik@dsd.wa.gov.au Tokyo contact:Craig Peacock - Commissioner North Asia Agency Government of Western Australia Tokyo OfficeTelephone: +81 3 5157 8281Facsimile: +81 3 5157 8286Email: craig.peacock@wajapan.net Kobe contact:Noriko Hirata – Regional DirectorGovernment of Western Australia Kobe OfficeTelephone: +81 78 242 7705Facsimile: +81 78 242 7707Email: noriko.hirata@wajapan.net MALAYSIA

Western Australian contact:Richelle Gornik – Manager South East AsiaTelephone: +61 8 9222 0465Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: richelle.gornik@dsd.wa.gov.au Kuala Lumpur contact:Verghese Jacob – Regional DirectorWestern Australian Trade OfficeTelephone: +603 2031 8175Facsimile: +603 2031 8177Email: verghese.jacob@dsd.wa.gov.au MIDDLE EAST

Western Australian contact:John Shute – Manager Middle EastTelephone: +61 8 9222 0495Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: john.shute@dsd.wa.gov.au

Dubai contact:Pankaj Savara – Regional DirectorWestern Australian Trade OfficeTelephone: +971 4 343 3226Facsimile: +971 4 343 3238Email: pankaj.savara@wato.ae

CHINA

Western Australian contact:Ngor Tan – Manager Greater ChinaTelephone: +61 8 9222 0582Fax: +61 8 9222 0505Email: ngor.tan@dsd.wa.gov.au Shanghai contact:BJ Zhuang – Regional DirectorWestern Australian Trade and Investment PromotionTelephone: +86 21 5292 5899Facsimile: +86 21 5292 5889Email: BJ.Zhuang@westernaustralia.cn Hangzhou contact:William Wang – RepresentativeWestern Australian Trade and Investment PromotionTelephone: +86 571 8795 0267Facsimile: +86 571 8795 0295Email: william.wang@westernaustralia.cn

SOUTH KOREA

Western Australian contact:Richelle Gornik – Manager South KoreaTelephone: +61 8 9222 0465Facsimile: +61 8 9222 0505Email: richelle.gornik@dsd.wa.gov.au Seoul contact:Jean Ough – Regional DirectorWestern Australian Trade and Investment OfficeTelephone: +82 2 722 1217Facsimile: +82 2 722 1218Email: jean.ough@dsd.wa.gov.au

Acknowledgements The Department of State Development gratefully acknowledges contributions from the Department of Culture and the Arts, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Tourism WA, Office of Multicultural Interests, Department of Regional Development and Lands, East Perth Redevelopment Authority, Department of Training and Workforce Development, Department of Agriculture and Food, Department of Mines and Petroleum, Small Business Development Corporation, Department of Commerce, Department of Education Services, Department of Planning, City of Perth, WA Department of Fisheries, Department of Environment and Conservation, Wine Industry Association WA (Inc.), Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Transport. Disclaimer This publication has been prepared by the Department of State Development with information taken from a range of sources and is believed to be reliable and accurate at time of publishing. The authors have endeavoured to provide a representation of Western Australian lifestyle and industry however the publication is not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list of information about Western Australia. This document is available on request in alternative formats such as large type, audio tape, USB drive or Braille.© October 2011 Department of State Development.