Perth’s true generational divide: The pessimists vs the optimists (and it’s not who you think)

They have been dubbed the pessimistic generation but young people in Perth are more optimistic about the future of their city than their parents.

Generation Z, a group spanning young teenagers to people in their late 20s, are more likely to think Perth is heading in the right direction than any other age group.

That is one of the key takeaways from the Committee for Perth research, released Wednesday, which has exposed a generational gap in the perceptions of the city.

The research also revealed more broadly changing attitudes across the city, particularly an increasingly positive attitude towards higher-density housing compared to past surveys.

The survey of 600 people found 74 per cent of Generation Z respondents thought Perth was on the “right track” compared to 65 per cent of Millennials, 59 per cent of Baby Boomers and 56 per cent of the pre-war generation.

Younger residents were also more optimistic about the effects of immigration.

While 39 per cent of those surveyed said population growth would make Perth a better place to live, the percentage was higher for so-called zoomers (46 per cent), Millennials (40 per cent) and Generation X (42 per cent) compared to Baby Boomers (32 per cent) and the pre-war generation (30 per cent).

However, few of those surveyed — just 19 per cent across the board — felt Perth was well-prepared for its forecast population growth of 3.5 million by 2050.

Among the biggest issues facing younger Perth residents was the lack of housing, with Generation Z overwhelmingly believing the city was in the midst of a housing crisis.

Committee for Perth chief executive officer Paula Rogers highlighted Generation Z’s desire to develop Perth’s renewable energy industry as an opportunity for business leaders.

“Gen Z has voiced clear priorities around the environment, diversification, and societal change, all of which present an opportunity to reimagine Perth’s future and be an economic driver for Perth to diversify its economy,” she said.

“As our younger generations increasingly shape the city’s agenda, their optimism and vision for Perth will be crucial in driving the city’s development — and what an exciting opportunity this presents for our city’s leaders to harness this energy and innovation to drive transformation.”

Curtin University director of entrepreneurship Danelle Cross said Generation Z had an “entrepreneurial spirit” that was evidenced in the university’s cohort.

She said Perth should look to channel it to help diversify the economy and support its start-up culture.

“Supporting the priorities of Gen Z will assist Perth in taking the next step in its evolution, driving innovation and a more inclusive and diverse Perth,” she said.