PERTH’S natural assets and the quality of its education offerings are overshadowed by the capital’s perception as complacent, over-regulated and risk-averse, according to the inaugural liveability analysis by not-for-profit group FORM.
The Perth-based organisation recently gathered 80 of the city’s business leaders, design professionals and local government representatives to assess the ‘creative pulse’ of Perth.
FORM’s results were in contrast to similar studies, which rated Perth considerably higher and focused on safety, political-economic stability and education.
Instead, FORM’s participants were asked to rate Perth across 10 categories (see table), including entrepreneurship, tolerance and networking.
International creative consultant Charles Landry facilitated the workshop on behalf of FORM and said in a statement that Perth’s average score of 4.74 out of 10 was “somewhat disappointing”.
Perth’s formal education system was perceived to be of high quality, yet it was found that little support post-university existed, particularly in the form of mentoring.
There was a general consensus that the city’s natural setting was “exceptional and distinctive” and that it had “untold resources in its diversity”, yet there was a noticeable lack in its inhabitants’ confidence.
The highest score of 6.7 was awarded in the liveability and wellbeing category, which found that Perth’s enviable lifestyle remains, yet affordability issues pose a threat. In contrast, the lowest score of 3.8 was given to Perth’s political and public framework, which was deemed over-regulated.
FORM hopes to undertake a more comprehensive study to benchmark Perth in a ‘creative city index’.
