Mayor sees growth

Speaking about the City’s growth at the Wanneroo Business Association event on September 18, Mrs Roberts said the population was growing by 7800 people annually.

‘That’s 21 every day ” and equivalent to adding a sizeable country town to our City every year, bigger than the shires of Northam, York and Toodyay combined,’ she said.

Twelve babies were born to residents every day and the population would more than double in the next 23 years.

‘Our growth has a truly remarkable story,’ she said.

‘From a population of about 100 at the time of settlement in 1902, Wanneroo grew to 1100 in 1950; 8000 in 1970; 80,000 in 2001.

‘In the past 12 years, the population has more than doubled to 173,000.

‘By 2036, that number will be 354,000 ” an increase of 181,000.’

Mrs Roberts said there were currently 62,000 dwellings across the City, but they expected another 65,000 to be built, giving a total of 127,000.

‘Each year, we are adding 2800 dwellings ” that’s eight every day. As other suburbs are building extensions and garden sheds, we are building a whole new street,’ she said, adding it had benefits for businesses.

‘For each new dwelling, this brings an average of around $78,400 in gross income, according to ABS Statistics.

‘This means that if we are expanding at around eight dwellings per day, this is $627,000 in gross income per day.

‘For a whole year, this translates to $229 million in additional gross income coming (into) the City.’

Putting emphasis on the need to increase local employment, the Mayor said the City had 1057 positions, including 871 full-time staff.

‘We also have an incredible proportion of people living locally, with 51 per cent living in the City of Wanneroo and 28 per cent in the City of Joondalup,’ she said.

She also spoke about the City’s budget, investment in jobs and tourism, community facilities and transport links.

‘Our region is the State’s powerhouse of growth ” not a care and maintenance council,’ she said.