Infrastructure WA

81. Improve public health and reduce chronic disease by enabling the built environment to play a stronger role in addressing the wider determinants of health, including:

1. aligning strategic planning and infrastructure proposals to the State Public Health Plan for Western Australia and reporting progress against achieving its objectives through normal reporting mechanisms, such as annual reports
2. finalising regulations required to implement public health assessments, which should be completed for significant strategic planning and infrastructure proposals that are assessed as presenting a high public health risk or have the significant potential for enhanced health outcomes.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 81 (a) is fully supported; (b) is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

82. Reduce Aboriginal health inequity and inequality by establishing health facilities tailored to Aboriginal needs, including:

1. supporting and funding the development of community-based primary care and allied health facilities that are designed and operated in partnership with Aboriginal communities and provide well-integrated and culturally secure wraparound services for Aboriginal people 
2. providing health facilities in Aboriginal communities that are fit for purpose and have access to high-quality digital connectivity to support ongoing and improved delivery of telehealth services.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 82 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

83. Support health and medical life sciences industry development, research, innovation and commercialisation by co-investing in health and medical life sciences facilities, subject to business cases, including:

1. establishing local medtech and pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities to support the implementation of the Health and Medical Life Sciences Industry Strategy to develop a world-class health and medical life sciences industry
2. identifying opportunities for the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund to partner with the Australian Government, academia and the private sector, to realise the infrastructure-related aims of the fund.    

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 83 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

84. Improve school infrastructure planning and delivery that meets student needs by:

1. reviewing data formats, sources, accessibility and assumptions to ensure they are timely and functional for planning school demand, greenfield and infill areas
2. applying software and systems that use new methodologies (such as scenario modelling) to test innovative solutions for government schools in the context of the public and private school assets
3. preparing a program-level business case for site acquisition in inner and middle suburbs, aligned with school network planning needs
4. enabling the use of medium-rise to high-rise public vertical schools in appropriate locations, particularly engaging with stakeholders to foster broader community acceptance of this model
5. using transportable school buildings only as a temporary demand solution, and not where enrolment growth is expected to continue
6. consistent with Recommendation 38f in the Infrastructure delivery chapter, considering offsite and modular construction that enables a contemporary teaching and learning environment
7. progressively retiring transportable school buildings where they no longer meet contemporary teaching and learning environment requirements
8. implementing collocation and shared use with childcare, health and community support services where possible, particularly in areas of disadvantage
9. consistent with Recommendation 42a in the Asset management chapter, allocating budget to implement fit for purpose asset management planning to ensure ageing school assets are functionally fit for purpose.

WA Government response 

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 84 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

85. Better plan for and invest in future skills and training by:

1. involving the Department of Training and Workforce Development, TAFEs and relevant private training organisations when strategies or plans are developed for new or existing industry sectors, to ensure future curriculum is planned in a timely manner
2. establishing a dedicated and ongoing funding program for TAFE training equipment and software and facilitating industry co-contributions where appropriate
3. further encouraging apprenticeships and traineeships on public infrastructure projects by expanding the use of group training organisations, including the use of incentives and promoting the use of group training organisations
4. updating the Strategic Asset Management Framework’s Strategic Asset Plan and Business Case guidelines to require projects and programs with a capital cost of $100 million or more to consider the availability of, and/or need for, skills and training.  

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 85 (a) is fully supported; (b-d) is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Guide priorities, including infrastructure and investment needs by developing and publishing a 10+ year state arts and culture strategy.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 86 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

87. Ensure equitable access to regional-level sporting infrastructure and inform investment priorities in the Perth and Peel regions and major regional centres by:

1. identifying gaps in the current provision of regional-level sporting and recreation facilities
2. developing and publishing a 10+ year regional-level sporting facilities plan.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 87 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

88. Optimise use, improve accessibility and ensure facilities are fit for purpose by increasing investment in existing and new arts, culture, sport and recreation infrastructure, including:

1. delivering an internationally significant flagship Western Australian Aboriginal cultural centre in Perth, subject to a business case
2. improving the capacity and quality of convention and exhibition facilities in the Perth CBD to attract high-capacity national and global events, subject to a business case
3. completing planning to redevelop the Perth Convention Precinct
4. redeveloping the Perth Cultural Centre to improve civic infrastructure and the public domain, subject to a business case
5. delivering priority capital works proposed in the State Sporting Infrastructure Plan, subject to business cases.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 88 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Guide tourism precinct and infrastructure development and investment by developing and publishing a 10+ year state tourism strategy that sets a vision and targets for tourism growth and the associated infrastructure requirements.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 89 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

90. Drive increased international and domestic visitation prior to the release of a 10+ year tourism strategy by investing in the 4 jewels in the crown of WA’s tourism offering, including:

1. preparing destination management plans that expand on existing clusters of attractions and enabling infrastructure; consider long-term supply, demand and capacity goals; and detail a program of new or upgraded infrastructure, amenities and attractions for the:
   • Perth region (including Rottnest Island)
   • South West region
   • Ningaloo Coast (including Exmouth)
   • Kimberley region (including Broome)
2. investing in the infrastructure program detailed in the destination management plans for the 4 jewels, subject to business cases
3. consistent with Recommendation 36d in the Planning and coordination chapter, capturing the wider impacts of investment decisions on tourism-related infrastructure.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 90 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.