Dashboard to detail $8bn worth of projects

The state government has launched a WA Pipeline of Works dashboard showing $8.7 billion worth of building and infrastructure projects, Commerce Minister Sue Ellery announced today.

Speaking at Business News' State of the Future lunch this afternoon, Ms Ellery said the dashboard would provide certainty to the building and construction industry.  

“This is a new tool which the industry has been calling for,” she said.

“It will help them plan and bid for tenders.

“Other jurisdictions have done this. It’s an interactive dashboard and something which we have consulted widely on.”

The dashboard featured a mixture of current and planned non-residential building and infrastructure projects, including state government projects.

According to the state government, the dashboard will increase transparency around infrastructure spending and attract new entrants to the state's building market.

Ms Ellery said it would become a trusted source of information for the industry.

Western Australian builders have been heavily affected by skills shortages in recent years, while private and public sector employers are fishing from the same pool of labour.

The dashboard is expected to help businesses enhance their project planning and enable their recruitment needs to be met.

Ms Ellery touched on a wide range of topical issues facing the state government in 2024, including cost-of-living pressures, housing shortages and workplace legislation.

“I am proud to be part of a government which will always do right for WA,” she said.

“We have the strongest economy in the country, thanks to strong financial management and the work done by businesses.

“We worked hard to get the budget back to balance.

“And this means, we have the capacity to respond to the challenges today and the challenges ahead.”

Ms Ellery said the industry learnt the importance of supply chains and solid logistics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Additionally, the importance of making things here in WA and not just shipping our resources overseas," she said.

“In every sense, we are back in business for 2024 and further ahead.”