2020, a new year and a good time to think where are we going as a Shire. Northam is gaining some good new facilities and this is great, but what we really need is new jobs. If we have new employment opportunities everything else will follow; new people will come to town, our youths will be able to find employment, houses will be bought, shops will be filled and restaurants will flourish. Our Shire will grow.
On the west coast of America, cities expanded north and south along the coast; eventually getting too far from the centre to be viable. Businesses started to move inland from city centres into new territories that were away from the city congestion but on major road, rail, water and power routes. In WA that point is Northam. The only problem is manufacturers in the city don't know about it.
We as a Shire need to create a presentation of the things we can offer, and employ a compelling sales person to seek out enterprises in the city that could benefit from a move to Northam and plant the idea in their heads. Cheap land, no traffic congestion, all the services they need, a fully serviced town, closer to agricultural and mining customers. If we sit on our hands nothing will happen, we need to be proactive and sell ourselves as a great place to be. Advertising works, smaller Shires than us have demonstrated that it can be done.
Denis Beresford, a Northam local of 60 years and former councillor for 30 years.
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