The ballot box can shape Perth’s future

The best cities in the world find the right balance between form and function. Their streets are full of people of all ages and situations, effective public transport, parks, museums, impressive civic spaces, cafes spilling out on to footpaths and intriguing laneways full of shops, bars and boutiques.

Not so many years ago, Perth offered little of those. The CBD was a place of work that filled with people and activity during the day and emptied in the evenings. In 2000, Lonely Planet named Perth ‘Dullsville’. It hurt. But it might have been the slap in the face Perth needed.

Before the 2008 election, the Liberal Party committed to revitalise Northbridge’s languishing Perth Cultural Centre. From day one, the Committee for Perth was advocating for the need to take a placebased approach. We introduced place maker of international acclaim, Fred Kent from Project for Public Places, to assist in defining the place and then revamping it from concrete jungle to a destination that is vibrant and alive.