You can see it in the freeway's lighter traffic, the 'For Sale' signs in your neighbourhood and the 'For Lease' signs in city towers and suburban industrial parks.
Western Australia's economy is slowing down after the mining boom many hoped - even assumed - would never end.
![The new report from BCEC says WA needs to do some heavy lifting to keep its economy on track after the mining boom fades.](/web/20161028204320im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/4/i/8/s/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gs67bq.png/1476916230428.jpg)
And now one of WA's biggest banks and one of its biggest universities have released a new report showing exactly how the tide is receding, and that what's being washed up isn't anything to celebrate.
Despite the tailing off of the resources boom, the findings of the eighth annual report from the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) show that while income inequality in WA has fallen slightly, there continues to be significant inequality in the distribution of household net wealth.
The report uses the latest statistics and information available, and states that while the wealthiest 20 per cent of WA households hold almost two-thirds of the State's total net household wealth, the poorest 20 per cent of households hold a mere 0.8 per cent of household wealth.
There's also bad news for women, with a quarter of single women in WA found to not currently hold any superannuation assets, compared to only one in ten men, creating what it calls 'a persistent gender wealth gap.'
BCEC Director Professor Alan Duncan said WA is facing much uncertainty and inequality as the economy reacts to the cooling of the mining sector.
"There are also strong signals emanating from the labour market that career pathways will be less straightforward. For the first time since 2006, WA's unemployment rate has surpassed the nation's," Professor Duncan said.
"Further, the report found the under-employment ratio has risen in WA more rapidly than in other states and territories, increasing from 6 per cent in 2011 to 10 per cent in 2016.
"Labour demand has also been decreasing with the WA Internet Vacancy Index recently falling below the national rate.
"More West Australians will need to hold multiple jobs at any point in time to make up preferred work hours and multiple job turnovers and career shifts before retirement would not be unusual."
The report's conclusion is that Western Australia is facing a 'new normal' of economic reality more in line with the rest of Australia.
While mining continues to be the main driver of the state's fortunes, it seems we'd better get used to trying to find something else to do.
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