No delay to job plan

Attracting new jobs and boosting Rockingham’s industry and investment potential are the City of Rockingham’s key priorities in achieving its long-term economic vision.

Despite the challenges and economic uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has chosen to push forward with adoption of its Economic Development Strategy 2020-2025.

Adopted at its last council meeting, the strategy aims to encourage a diverse, resilient and more balanced local economy, by facilitating jobs growth and driving sustainable economic growth in the City for the next five years.

Feedback used in forming the strategy covered topics such as the need for more local jobs, the importance of HMAS Stirling and Garden Island to the local economy, and the need to investigate ways to promote tourism-based investment opportunities.

According to data from the Australia Bureau of Statistics, Rockingham recorded a net job loss for the first time in 20 years during the 2018-19 financial year, with about 178 local jobs lost.

The strategy revealed there was only one job for every two working residents in the Rockingham local government area. It also highlighted an “over-reliance” on the retail sector,