The Hon. Roger Cook, Premier of Western Australia; The Hon. Stephen Dawson, Minister for Regional Development, Joint Media Release, 28 April 2026

The Cook Labor Government has today launched its Seven Cities vision for regional Western Australia – a long-term plan to unlock the next wave of regional economic development and deliver quality infrastructure and services throughout the State.

While traditional industries like mining, agriculture, and tourism will continue to thrive, the seven regional cities of Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, Karratha, Broome, Geraldton, and Albany have been identified as critical to the government’s vision for WA to become a renewable energy powerhouse and make more things in WA.

As part of the 2026-27 State Budget and future budgets, the Cook Labor Government will continue investing in the economic infrastructure needed to bring new job-creating projects to fruition, including in industrial land, energy, water, transport, and the environment.

To support the skilled local workforce required by industry, the government will also prioritise investment in housing, health, and other public services in the Seven Cities, so they can expand their roles as hubs for the delivery of services to their regions.

The government will also expand its commitment to free and low-fee TAFE in these cities.

Seven Cities will build upon the Cook Labor Government’s strong record of ongoing investment and achievements in regional Western Australia, which includes:

• investing in planning and common user infrastructure in the Kemerton, Boodarie, Maitland, and Oakakee Strategic Industrial Areas;
• expanding Lumsden Point in partnership with the Commonwealth Government so Port Hedland can become a trade hub for lithium, copper, and renewable energy infrastructure, such as wind turbines and blades;
• partnering with Rio Tinto to expand the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant, providing drinking water to 10,000 homes in Karratha, Wickham, Roebourne, and Point Sampson;
• upgrading the historic Goldfields Water Supply Scheme to support industrial expansion, including in Kalgoorlie;
• investing in Broome’s wastewater and water infrastructure to support its development beyond 2050;
• delivering major roadworks, including the Albany Ring Road and Bunbury Outer Ring Road – the largest regional transport project in WA’s history; and
• redeveloping major regional hospitals, including the Geraldton Health Campus and Bunbury Regional Hospital – the largest regional hospital construction project in WA’s history.

Housing availability has been identified as the next area for priority investment, both to house the skilled workforce that industry will need and house the government workers that will be needed to deliver frontline services.

As part of that, more than 500 homes will be delivered for regional frontline workers in partnership with WA’s resources industry, the biggest-ever Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) build to boost GROH in key regional cities and meet projected demand through to 2030.

Other Seven Cities initiatives included as part of the 2026-27 State Budget include:

• $89.1 million for key upgrades at Bunbury’s Casuarina Boat Harbour;
• $60 million to deliver a new 32-bed modular ward at Albany Health Campus;
• $45 million to support increased services between Perth and Bunbury when the Australind train service reopens next month;
• $40.7 million to deliver up to 111 new lots in the Broome North residential estate;
• $38.4 million for land assembly and water supply studies at Kemerton Strategic Industrial Area (SIA) near Bunbury and water supply studies and design works on an infrastructure corridor at Boodarie SIA near Port Hedland;
• $14 million to continue and expand Broome bus services to ensure locals and visitors have access to affordable and accessible public transport;
• $5 million to support Traditional Owner-led tourism and secure the long-term future of visitor experiences at Garaan-ngaddim Horizontal Falls near Broome; and
• $3.8 million to support Nexus Airlines’ continued operation of the Inter-Regional Flight Network (IRFN), providing direct links between Geraldton, Karratha, Port Hedland and Broome, removing the need to travel via Perth.

Other priority areas will be identified as part of future budgets to help the Seven Cities deliver the economic development required to keep WA’s economy the strongest in the nation.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“Our regions have been central to Western Australia becoming the strongest economy in the nation and will be critical to our future economic success.

“While traditional industries like mining, agriculture and tourism will continue to thrive, our regions will be front-and-centre to my government’s vision and becoming a renewable energy powerhouse and making more things here.

“To seize the big job-creating projects in front of us in regional WA, we need the Seven Cities to have the economic infrastructure they need and to expand as hubs to provide quality services to the towns and remote communities within their regions.”

Comments attributed to Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson:

“In this year’s State Budget, the Cook Government is proud to be investing in a range of initiatives that will help grow regional WA, promote future jobs, and make it a great place to live and work.

“Our Seven Cities vision is set to boost opportunities and drive economic growth across WA, ensuring all communities benefit from improved infrastructure and services.

“By investing in our regions and supporting the development of our regional cities, we are strengthening the economic growth of our State, delivering benefits to all Western Australians.”