media-release2The formation of the WA Regional Cities Alliance (WARCA) is a first for regional Western Australia and on Thursday, April 14, the alliance will take a major step forward with the official launch of its new logo and its website.

Mayors and CEOs from the four member cities will meet at the Geraldton Club in Geraldton on Thursday, April 14 for the launch of the logo and website.

The alliance is made up of the Cities of Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton-Greenough and Kalgoorlie-Boulder and was formed in a bid to encourage more State planning in regional centres and to address the lack of population growth in regional cities.

Chair of the WARCA, City of Geraldton-Greenough Mayor, Cr Ian Carpenter, said he looks forward to welcoming the other alliance members to Geraldton and said the meeting and launch of the new logo and website is a major step forward for the group.

“Forming this common alliance is the way forward at a State and National level in terms of
planning for its economic and population growth, and I’m pleased to welcome the other three mayors to Geraldton,” he said.

“The website is a major tool in promoting our regions and exposing what each individual city has to offer while demonstrating the alliance’s collective synergy.

“It also offers a conduit to highlight positive steps in progressing a positive relationship and outcomes with both the State and Commonwealth Governments.”

City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mayor, Ron Yuryevich, said regional cities offer a great lifestyle and good career opportunities and should not be overlooked by government in State planning, and that the alliance will go a long way in rectifying this situation.

“Regional centres will benefit greatly from the alliance and its collaborative framework; it’s a first for regional Australia and can only achieve successful outcomes when engaging with the State and Commonwealth Government,” said Mr Yuryevich.

Mayor of the City of Bunbury, David Smith, said regional cities should be recognised as an alternative lifestyle option to metropolitan centres and the impetus to form a regional cities alliance was the historical lack of recognition of this by State and Federal government in the past.

“Our alliance will provide governments an opportunity to recognise the importance of regional centres in the planning process which can assist in addressing major strategic risks to the State’s future prosperity and economic development,” he said. Cr Milton Evans, Mayor of the City of Albany agrees.

“The alliance will see regional cities working in unison for the common good, to achieve a better outcome and ultimately attract more people to make the lifestyle change to regional cities,” he said.

“There is no doubting the liveability and opportunity that our respective and diverse centres offer.”