Perth's nightlife isn't great. The city itself isn't great heh, and getting a taxi is always a bitch. But ehem, Canberra? Adelaide? Sydney? Darwin? Brisbane?... Perth is much more liveable imo.
Other than that part of life (nightlife and artistic career paths), I'd rather live in Perth than any other city in Australia. West-side mutha fuckas... hah.
I guess that's why people drive hours to doof.