Greater Perth Movement

The Greater Perth Movement describes a movement in the first three decades of the twentieth century to consolidate the town planning and urban administration of the Perth metropolitan region of Western Australia under a single municipal government.[1] The movement is characterised as a period of conflict between those who sought a metropolitan municipal authority with control of key infrastructure and services, and the growth of state government control via statutory authorities.[2]

The movement is most strongly associated with its chief proponent, W.E. Bold, who was influenced by ideas of municipal socialism, and saw its initial successes in the amalgamation of the local governments of Leederville, North Perth, and Perth in 1914, joined by Victoria Park in 1917.[3] A further proposal to merge Subiaco into the City of Perth was defeated in a 1935 referendum,[4][5] followed by a 1938 Royal Commission into Bold's administration of the City of Perth which effectively marked the end of his political influence and the movement itself.

  1. ^ Johns, J. R. H. (1950). "Greater City Movements in Western Australia". Metropolitan Government in Western Australia. University of Western Australia Text Books Board.
  2. ^ Grant, Bligh; Drew, Joseph (2017). "Origins and Development of Local Government Systems". Local Government in Australia: History, Theory and Public Policy. Singapore: Springer. p. 54. ISBN 978-981-10-3865-5.
  3. ^ Clark, Roger (August 2010). An Historical Geography of Recreational Land Use in the Perth Metropolitan Area, 1829-1969 (Thesis thesis). University of Western Australia.
  4. ^ "Greater Perth: Subiaco Rejects Amalgamation". The West Australian. 28 November 1935.
  5. ^ "No-Merger Vote: Parties Bury Hatchet". The Daily News. Perth. 2 December 1935.