Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has today announced $3.2 billion of federal government funding for Western Australian infrastructure projects ahead of next month’s budget, however, there is still uncertainty around the timing of a number of those projects.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has today announced $3.2 billion of federal government funding for Western Australian infrastructure projects ahead of next month’s budget, however, there is still uncertainty around the timing of a number of those projects.
Mr Turnbull made the announcement with Premier Mark McGowan at Yagan Square this morning.
The package is part of $5.4 billion in infrastructure development for the state.
The funding boost for WA will be headlined by $1.05 billion for Metronet, including $500 million for the new Ellenbrook-Morley train line.
Also within the funding package is more than $1.7 billion for a number of road projects, with $560 million allocated towards the final two stages of the Bunbury outer ring road.
Mr McGowan said the government expected to begin work on the Ellenbrook line next year, but did not give definitive time frames for other projects, which still need business cases to be completed.
“A lot of this money is over the longer term but we plan to get on and deal with the Ellenbrook line, the Byford line and the Midland line in accordance with our election promises,” he said.
“This announcement today is about long term planning for the future, it’s about ensuring we can get on and build rail, road and health projects across Western Australia.
“We want to get on and build Metronet as soon as we can - we want to make sure that the rail line to Ellenbrook is built and it will be built as soon as we possibly can.”
Mr Turnbull said the infrastructure projects would facilitate growth in the WA economy.
“This is all about ensuring people in Perth, and outside of Perth, can get home sooner and safer,” he said
“This is congestion-busting billions of dollars and we’re able to do it because we have a strong economy.”
The package also included $140 million for the Myalup-Wellington dam project, along with a concessional loan up to $50 million.
Yesterday, Mr Turnbull announced nearly $190 million in federal funding for WA hospital infrastructure projects, including $158 million towards the Joondalup Health Campus expansion.
After today’s announcement, total federal funding for Metronet will now exceed $1.84 billion and comes on top of the $490 million towards the Forrestfield Airport link funded through the 2016 GST top-up payment.
A summary of the funding package is listed below:
METRONET
- Construction of Morley-Ellenbrook Line, (indicative estimated cost of $1,000 million, with $500 million in federal funding);
- Extension of the Armadale Line to Byford, (indicative estimated cost of $481 million, with $241 million in federal funding);
- The Midland Station Project, including the relocation of Midland Station, (indicative estimated cost of $165 million, with $83 million in federal funding);
- $2 million in business case funding for a railway station at Lakelands, with further federal funding earmarked for the construction, subject to the business case; and
- A further $226 million in federal funding to support other METRONET related projects.
Roads
- Bunbury Outer Ring Road - stages 2 and 3 - completing the remaining stages from the South Western Highway to the Bussell Highway and from the Perth-Bunbury Highway to near Picton Boyanup Road (indicative estimated cost of $700 million, with $560 million in federal funding);
- Tonkin Highway improvements including:
o Stage 3 Extension - extending Tonkin Highway from Thomas Road to the South West Highway, including grade separations at Thomas, Orton and Mundijong Roads and South Western Highway and a grade separated interchange at Bishop Road (indicative estimated cost of $505 million, with $253 million in federal funding)
o Tonkin Highway Gap - widening, reconfiguring and implementing managed motorway technologies to resolve the current gap in service levels (indicative estimated cost of $290 million, with $145 million in federal funding)
o Hale, Welshpool and Kelvin interchanges - constructing grade separations at these high priority intersections (indicative estimated cost of $366 million, with $183 million in federal funding)
- Mitchell Freeway Extension from Hester Avenue to Romeo Road (indicative estimated cost of $215 million, with $108 million in federal funding);
- Welshpool Road interchange at Leach Highway (indicative estimated cost of $93 million, with $47 million in federal funding);
- Roe Highway-Great Eastern Highway Bypass Interchange (indicative estimated cost of $180 million, with $144 million in federal funding);
- Stephenson Avenue extension (indicative estimated cost of $130 million, with $65 million in federal funding);
- Great Northern Highway Bindoon Bypass (indicative estimated cost of $275 million, with $220 million in federal funding); and
- Planning work for the Eastlink WA Orange Route ($10 million in federal funding)
State Government funding will be provided towards these METRONET and road projects, subject to normal State Budget processes and further federal funding may be sought from existing Federal Government infrastructure programs.
As always, final METRONET and road project costs will be determined as part of business case development. Cost estimates are indicative as always and the State Government will provide final costs following business case development in the usual way.
Myalup-Wellington Dam Project
The Turnbull Government will also provide up to $140 million in federal funding and a concessional loan of up to $50 million towards the Myalup-Wellington Dam Project.
The project will divert high saline inflows upstream from Wellington Dam for desalination, improving the quality of water stored in and released from the dam for agriculture.
GST top-up payments towards WA Hospital Infrastructure
The Turnbull Government has agreed to allocate the federal WA GST top-up payment this year of $188.9 million towards the following WA hospital infrastructure projects:
- $158 million towards the Joondalup Health Campus expansion which will include 90 new public beds, 75 new mental health beds, a new stroke unit, 3 new cardiac catheter laboratories, a new 25 bed Coronary Care Unit, allowing for further expansion of the existing High Dependency Unit, an urgent care clinic, an ambulatory care centre and a Medihotel facility. This investment will ensure Joondalup Health Campus can further develop its capacity to care for more complex patients closer to home.
- $10.6 million towards the Osborne Park Hospital Expansion which will include a neo-natal facility upgrade and additional rehabilitation beds; and
- $20.3 million towards the refurbishment of the Royal Perth Hospital, including the mental health observation unit and Medihotel.
