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Strategic Plan

Our Strategic Plan helps to focus the Commission’s resources on balancing key economic drivers, with the need to ensure that we are also continuing to enhance the liveability of our region.

There is no question that the Mid West is on the cusp of change.
As global consumers and markets embrace more sustainable, lower-carbon products, and expect stronger environmental, social and governance credentials, we are incredibly well positioned to ride this wave. Whether it’s our abundant wind and sunshine, innovative agricultural industry, growing gas and green energy sector, or our pristine oceans and clear, dark skies, we can service the investor, industrialist, tourist and resident of the future.
Like many of Western Australia’s regional areas, we have a huge role to play in supporting the WA and Australia economies, and our global trade partners, in meeting their strategic targets and net-zero goals. The Mid West is a place where existing industries, like mining and agriculture, can decarbonise, whilst emerging sectors like hydrogen, green steel and low-carbon fertilisers emerge.
Our Strategic Plan helps to focus the Commission’s resources on balancing these key economic drivers, with the need to ensure that we are also continuing to enhance the liveability of our region. This means jobs and economic diversity, but also delivery of services, housing, training and fostering a sense of place. It also means working with Traditional Owners to ensure that there are meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal people and enterprises to engage with the broader economy, benefit from technological innovations, and care for Country.
The Commission is in a unique position to bring our regional stakeholders, government and industry partners together and enable the realisation of these opportunities, and this Strategic Plan provides us with a guiding document to lead the way through this exciting time.

Download the Mid West Development Commission Strategic Plan 2023-26

Purpose

Our purpose is to enable development of the boundless opportunities existing across the Mid West region; collaborating and aligning with our partners across all tiers of government, industry and community to create better economic, environmental and social outcomes.

The objectives of the Mid West Regional Development Commission are to:

maximise job creation and improve career opportunities in the region;
develop and broaden the economic base of the region;
identify infrastructure services needed to promote economic and social development within the region;
provide information and advice to promote business development within the region;
seek to ensure that the general standard of government services and access to those services in the region is comparable to that which applies in the metropolitan area; and
generally take steps to encourage, promote, facilitate and monitor the economic development in the region.

Our Role

Our overriding approach at the Commission is to enable. By fostering the growth and development of traditional and new industries, supporting the improvement of regional quality of life, normalising regional living standards and engaging meaningfully with Aboriginal people to improve socioeconomic outcomes, the Commission aims to link with overall state-wide regional development and create a prosperous WA economy.

The Commission’s focus is to increase the opportunities for investment attraction and serve as a single window to provide the local knowledge, data and connections required to make beneficial investment decisions. The Commission also provides a base from which local project proponents, industry and regional stakeholders can connect with other State Government agencies and potential investment partners. Through connection, collaboration and facilitation, the Commission gives those looking to invest in the region access to boundless opportunities. This is essential to overall regional development and progress, creating a region that is a desirable place in which to live, work and visit.

Successful regional development

The Mid West region is one of the most diverse economies in regional WA; rich in natural resources, where the mining, gas, agriculture and aquaculture sectors are flourishing and blending seamlessly with highly prospective, sustainable technologies such as wind, solar and hydrogen.
Geraldton is the largest city north of Perth, housing the majority of the region’s population, public services and businesses. The city provides an important ‘hub and spoke’ role to support communities and industries throughout the region. Geraldton is a growing port city that attracts the largest number of visitors along the thriving Australia’s Coral Coast tourism region.
Diverse biomes throughout the Mid West from rangelands, broadacre farms, breakaway country, rural townships and the rich Indian Ocean enable boundless opportunities and unique frontiers for industry development and growth across a broad range of sectors, including energy, agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, space, mining and manufacturing.
Successful development of these opportunities requires alignment, coordination and collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders, at both a regional and state-wide level. The role and approach of MWDC is to enable all tiers of government, community and industry to connect, understand, support and facilitate investment and development. By providing a basis for better decision making, we enable more progressive and productive regional outcomes.
The Commission, as part of the State’s Regional Development Portfolio, works closely with the other eight Regional Development Commissions, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and our partners across Government to progress strategic initiatives for regional WA. Working closely with key stakeholders in the Mid West region, the Commission will both unlock opportunities at a local level and contribute to improved regional outcomes across WA.
The Commission was established to enable investment and improve quality of life across the Mid West. We connect, collaborate with and facilitate our many stakeholders and partners, to realise our region’s boundless opportunities.

Annual Report

Our Annual Report is an important tool to ensure transparency and accountability to Parliament, our stakeholders and the community. It is an account of our achievements during the reporting period and an insight into what we do, how we work and how we are enabling development opportunities to transform the region for better economic, social and environmental outcomes.