As discussed in Section 5.1.3 of Volume 1, infrastructure provision is a critical issue for remote Indigenous communities, with many areas lacking even basic services. Improving the delivery of infrastructure to these areas can bring considerable social benefits in terms of access to services and economic opportunities, and is fundamental to the governments' broader agenda of Closing the Gap in Indigenous Disadvantage.
Remote Indigenous communities in WA are scattered across the state, with a particular concentration in the Kimberley region. Many of these areas are more than 2,000 km from the state's primary economic centre of Perth, reinforcing the need for considerable investment in essential infrastructure to ensure Indigenous people in these areas have access to services that can support better health, education and employment outcomes in their communities.
In November 2014, the WA Government announced its intention to close between 100 and 150 of the 274 remote communities in WA, largely due to the high costs of service provision to people in these areas.