STIRLING mayor Giovanni Italiano says he “very disappointed” the WA government has backtracked on its commitment to relocate the WA commerce department in Stirling.
The department will instead be relocated to existing offices in Cannington: “The city is very disappointed with the decision as an investment of this scale would greatly stimulate the economic and social activity of the Stirling city centre,” Cr Italiano says.
Labor leader Mark McGowan says the Barnett government is reneging on a pre-election commitment to decentralise and relocate 80,000sqm of government offices and is “now trying to find excuses in an attempt to walk away”.
But WA transport minister Dean Nalder says the government remains committed to dislodging mandarins and civil servants from their plush CBD eyries into cheaper digs in the ‘burbs.
“Part of the department of transport is moving to 6500sqm of new office space in Stirling this year,” he says.
Cr Italiano says the cancelled commerce move will not de-rail a plan to turn Stirling into Perth’s second CBD.
by STEPHEN POLLOCK
Perth Voice Interactive 
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