Annual Report 2008-2009 - Department of Transport

Demography services
As the State Demographer, the Department provides advice on demographic
trends to the public sector. In conjunction with the Western Australian
Planning Commission, the Department has begun an update to its
population projections by reviewing current best practice methodology and
researching recent and historical trends. The population projections are
used extensively in planning the future delivery of nearly all government
services throughout the State. The private sector also has a keen interest in
population projections, which form an essential element of market research.
It is expected that new population projections for all local government areas
will be completed in 2009–10.
Other activities included:
• demographic advice to peak strategic projects, including the
Department’s Regional Hotspots publications and Directions 2031
Spatial Framework for Perth and Peel;
• hosting the Australia New Zealand Population Workshop – a national
demography forum concerned with population projection methodology
at the state and national levels; and
• publication of the Population Bulletin: 2008 Estimated Resident
Population.
www.planning.wa.gov.au/Plans+and+policies
Perth Employment Survey
The Perth Employment Survey is a cyclical project conducted by the
Department approximately every five years. The survey captures employment,
floor space and land-use data in areas zoned for commercial, industrial,
public purposes or recreation/open space.
The latest survey commenced in March 2007 and was completed in June
2009. It covered the Perth Metropolitan region and the Mandurah and Murray
local government areas. Around 113,000 activities were measured in the
survey. Initial estimates indicate that 107,000 people work in locations in the
city centre, with another 441,000 in the remainder of the Perth Metropolitan
region and around 18,000 in the Mandurah and Murray local government
areas.
The survey’s results for the city centre were published in the report The
Evolving City: An atlas of change in the City of Perth 1990–2007. These
results show a continuing growth in the dominance of commercial activity
such as office/business and shop/retail uses, as well as an expansion of
residential living in the city. The already small levels of manufacturing in the
city centre have further declined.
The data collected will inform employment forecasting, which is a key factor
in land-use and transport planning.
The Department, jointly with the Department of Housing, has also supported
the reconstituted independent advisory Housing Industry Forecasting
Group (HIFG) with the provision of executive and secretarial support. HIFG
has provided the Government with a report entitled Forecast Dwelling
Commencements in WA.
www.planning.wa.gov.au/Plans+and+policies
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