Premier Colin Barnett last week announced the allocation of a 9500sq m area of land at Burswood Peninsula and $15 million to invest in a new purpose-built facility.
Last year, more than 300,000 people visited Scitech’s City West exhibition centre and about 190,000 people took part in SciTech’s outreach programs.
Scitech chief executive Alan Brien said facilities at City West had reached visitor capacity and it was not a viable venue for long-term growth.
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READ NOW‘The relocation of Scitechwould allow us to further engage the WA community in science, technology, engineering and maths,’ Mr Brien said.
‘Australia is facing a major skill shortage of people educated in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
‘Scitech has proved its drawing power for the public and for local school, community and scientific groups in particular.’
Mr Barnett said the new Scitech would be built alongside the proposed Perth Stadium and be ready by 2018.
Labor opposes Mr Barnett’s plan to develop Burswood Peninsula as the site for the new sports stadium where Scitech would be relocated, proposing instead to build it at Kitchener Park in Subiaco.
Labor has also promised to allocate $20 million over four years to support e-learning in primary schools in regional WA and investing $100 million in upgrading WA high schools’ science facilities and equipment.