New Report Highlights Economic Importance of Perth Airport

The importance of Perth Airport to the Western Australian economy has been highlighted in the report titled "Employment Generation and Airports" issued by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Economics (BITRE).

The BITRE report, which was compiled using data from the 2011 census, showed that more than 11,000 people are employed across the airport estate. This represents 6,000 additional jobs compared to the last census in 2006, an increase of 121%. This was by far the largest increase of the major capital city airports, with Brisbane the closest adding 3,900 jobs and representing a 38% growth in employment. The increase is also far in excess of the growth in employment in Perth generally.

“On the Perth Airport estate, employment from 2001 to 2011 increased by an average of 13% per annum, while job growth for Perth as a whole averaged just under three per cent over the same period,” said Brad Geatches, Chief Executive Officer, Perth Airport.

The report notes a positive association between the rate of growth in passenger numbers and the rate of growth in employment at the airport. This was certainly the case at Perth Airport, which has experienced rapid growth in both areas and has been recognised as the fastest growing capital city airport for seven consecutive years.

The BITRE report also notes that 95% of workers on the airport estate travel to work by private vehicle. This was the highest of all of the airports in the study, reflecting the lack of public transport to the airport. Over the past 18 months, Perth Airport has been working closely with the State Government to determine the options for getting public transport to the airport - specifically a railway.

In the lead up to the State election on Saturday, 9 March, Perth Airport has welcomed the commitment made by both political parties to provide much needed public transport to the airport for the people of Western Australia.

“We look forward to working with the government after the election, to deliver the best public transport solution for the community,” said Mr Geatches. “It is encouraging that both the Liberal-National State Government and the Labor State Opposition understand the importance of getting public transport to the airport.”

Further analysis of the BITRE report identified that more than 5,000 jobs (46%) on the airport estate were related to the transport, postal and warehousing industry, of which nearly 2,300 (21% of the total) are in air and space transport. Other important industries represented across the estate include mining, retail, and public administration and safety.