Economy
Western Australia is widely regarded as the engine-room of the Australian economy. It has consistently out-performed other State economies for the last decade.
According to Access Economic's Investment Monitor (July 2006), the value of projects under construction in Western Australia now stands at $23.3 billion (its highest ever total since the monitor was first published in 2001).
Recent initiatives to further drive economic growth include tax cuts worth $1.2 billion over five years, a massive $18.1 billion building program over four years and new measures to further diversify the Western Australian economy.
Recent ABS figures show that the value of Western Australian exports is the highest in the nation, more than double that of Victoria and significantly higher than New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (Qld).
The nominal value of Western Australian exports was $45.7 billion in the 12 months to May 2006 - a huge 19.5 per cent higher than a year earlier.
In the same period, Western Australia showed a $27.2 billion trade surplus, compared with a national trade deficit of $16.7 billion. NSW recorded a trade deficit of $37.7 billion and Victoria a trade deficit of $29.6 million, while Qld recorded a surplus of $10.1 billion.
Western Australia's world-class infrastructure and strong economic outlook have created a dynamic business environment, attracting record levels of investment and generating positive employment growth.
With all this good economic news, you can expect a better future in Western Australia. We're investing in big projects and our state needs your skills to get them started and keep them going.
Housing
Buying a Home
The current median house price in Perth is $465,000. For approximately $530,000 - $560,000 you can buy a four bedroom, two bathroom home with a swimming pool in a quality suburb. This is great value compared to other Australian capital cities. In Perth, most people travel no longer than 40 minutes to and from their place of work. Prices will also depend on how close you are to the city, river and beaches.
Renting a Home
Rental prices and availability can fluctuate. The current median price for a three bedroom house in Perth is $320 per week. There is a wide range of rental options available in Western Australia from basic apartments, luxury mansions, short term or long term and furnished or unfurnished
Health
Western Australia offers world-class health and medical services available through a range of public and private hospitals, medical specialists and health services.
Public Health Cover
Medicare is the public health system that is regulated by the Australian Government and is available to most Australians. The public health system is designed to ensure that all Australians have access to medical and hospital care. It provides assistance with most medicines prescribed by doctors through the Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme.
Medicare does not generally cover temporary residents in Australia. If you are not certain of your eligibility for coverage, check your visa status (i.e. visa classification under which you entered Australia) and then contact Medicare to confirm eligibility.
Private Health Cover
Many Australians also choose to take out private health insurance as some expenses are not covered and waiting lists for elective surgery in public hospitals can take time. The cost of standard private medical cover is around $2,600 per family per year, with the government offering a 30 percent rebate on the costs of private health insurance.
Education
Primary & Secondary Education
Western Australia's education system comprises government and private schools. There are approximately 300 private schools and 800 government schools ranging from kindergarten and small community schools to high private schools. Approximately 70% of students attend government schools and 30% attend private schools.
Education is compulsory from the year in which children turn 6 to the end of the school year in which they are 17 years of age. Primary school commences at year 1 and concludes in year 7. Secondary school begins at year 8 and runs through to year 12. At senior secondary school level, students intending to enter university select at least four Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE) subjects. These subjects contribute to a student's Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER). University places are usually offered on the basis of a students TER.
The school year commences in February each year and is divided into four terms. There is usually a two-week break at the end of the first three terms and a seven-week break over Christmas at the end of the school year.
Universities & Further Education
Perth has five world-class universities: Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan University (ECU), Murdoch University, University of Western Australia (UWA) and University of Notre Dame (UNDA). Generally all courses are covered from Engineering, Science, Accounting to Medicine. There are many other further education institutions such as TAFE and private colleges.
Costs
The cost of attending a government school is around $250 per year while cost of attending a private school can be as low as $1,350 rising to around $16,000 per year. Further education and tertiary course prices vary.