Infratructure is the unsexy but important part of council work. There’s no ribbon to cut on a properly maintained water main. Nobody poses for a photo in front of a stormwater pond. But here’s the truth: reliable infrastructure is the absolute foundation of everything else we want for Mitchell, and getting it right is the most important thing a council actually does.
If I’m elected, one of the first things I’ll push for is a thorough review of our infrastructure networks — what’s in the ground, what condition it’s in, where the gaps are, and what needs attention first. Let me explain what that really means.
What a real infrastructure review covers
When I talk about infrastructure, I’m talking about the things every family in this town uses every single day:
- Roads and bridges — the pavement you drive on, the gravel roads our farmers depend on, and the bridges and culverts that connect it all
- Drinking water — wells, treatment, and the watermains that bring it to your tap
- Wastewater — sewers and treatment capacity, the unglamorous system that has to grow as the town does
- Stormwater — the ditches, drains, and ponds that keep basements dry when the spring melt or a heavy rain rolls through
- Recreation facilities — the arena, the community centre, diamonds, courts, and parks where this town actually gathers
Most of this is invisible until it fails. And that’s exactly the problem.
Fix the roof while it’s still the roof
Deferred maintenance is the most expensive kind. A road resurfaced at the right time can last for decades; let that same road crack, heave, and crumble, and you’re not resurfacing anymore — you’re rebuilding it from the base up, at a multiple of the cost. A pipe patched on schedule is a line item; a pipe that bursts is an emergency, and a bill nobody budgeted for.
Councils love to push the big costs past the next election. I get why — it’s the easy move. But every resident in West Perth knows how this works at home: put off the small repair and you pay for the big one. Pay now, or pay a lot more later. There is no third option.
Priorities based on condition, not on who makes the most noise
A proper review means prioritizing by actual condition and actual risk — worst first, safety always — instead of letting whichever road or project gets the loudest complaint jump the queue. That’s how you treat taxpayer money with respect.
This is the core job
Big visions are easy. Anybody can promise a splashier downtown or a shinier facility. The unglamorous work — knowing the condition of what’s under our feet, funding its upkeep before it becomes a crisis, and being honest with residents about what’s coming — that’s what council is actually for. That’s the job I’m asking you to hire me to do.
Wondering about the condition of a road, a watermain, or a facility in your neighbourhood? Ask me. I’ll take it to the table — and I’ll keep asking until there’s an answer.