The Gallop government has heeded long-running calls from the business community by agreeing to develop a state infrastructure strategy.
The Gallop government has heeded long-running calls from the business community by agreeing to develop a state infrastructure strategy.
Premier Geoff Gallop said the strategy would provide greater certainty about the timing of big ticket infrastructure developments over the next 20 years.
“We will work with the private sector and other tiers of government to identify where new infrastructure is needed and where existing infrastructure needs to be overhauled,” he said.
The decision comes at a time when the state’s rapid economic growth has placed increasing pressure on infrastructure, particularly at ports and the road and rail links leading into ports.
The government has also come under a lot of pressure to upgrade the state’s power and water infrastructure.
Another challenge has been the rising cost of key projects, such as the desalination plant and the Perth to Mandurah Highway, mainly as a result of economy-wide cost increases.
A recent review of Western Australia’s infrastructure, commiss-ioned by Engineers Australia and undertaken by consulting firm GHD, found that the state’s infrastructure was generally superior to other states.
The review concluded that the biggest problem areas were local roads, the rail freight network and the electricity distribution network.
Chamber of Minerals and Energy chief executive Tim Shanahan said the premier’s commitment to a long-term focus was particularly encouraging, in light of the long lead time for major resource projects.
As well as industrial infrastructure such as ports, roads and rail links, Mr Shanahan said the chamber would highlight the need for better social infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.
“Enhanced community facilities are critical to attract skilled workers to live in Western Australia’s regions,” he said.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry director Bill Sashegyi said an infrastructure strategy would be useful if it helped to de-politicise decision making.
“Infrastructure priorities are [currently] determined through a very unclear and confused process,” he said.
Mr Sashegyi said a more transparent process should also help the state better argue its case with the federal government.
The latest flashpoint between Perth and Canberra has been the argument over funding the $450 million Perth to Mandurah Highway.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan has long complained that WA gets only about 7 per cent of federal Auslink road funding despite having about 10 per cent of the national population.
Mr Sashegyi said surveys of CCI members had identified road access to Fremantle Harbour and the development of a new ‘outer harbour’ at Cockburn Sound as key issues.
