Premier Colin Barnett has outlined the state government's top infrastructure priorities in a submission to the federal government's Infrastructure Australia fund.
Premier Colin Barnett has outlined the state government's top infrastructure priorities in a submission to the federal government's Infrastructure Australia fund.
Mr Barnett's spokesperson told WA Business News that the submission will be lodged at the end of this week, with the fund to announce an interim list by the end of the year.
Included in the list of five projects is the Ord River Stage 2 project with total government, both state and federal, funding set at $393 million, Oakajee Port at $678 million and the $263 million sinking of the rail lines for the Northbridge Link.
Also included is $500 million for housing works in the Pilbara, $525 million for transport links around Perth airport and $1.5 billion for remote indigenous services.
Altogether the projects are worth over $3.8 billion, with the state government asking the Commonwealth to chip in $2.68 billion.
Mr Barnett said the state has asked the federal government to contribute $1.6 billion over the forward estimates to the next four years.
"My Government wants to move ahead with these projects despite a slowing economic environment because they will underpin the future growth of the State," Mr Barnett said.
"Projects like the Ord expansion and Oakajee will stimulate important private sector investment in agriculture and mining and will ensure that in these areas, that are essential to the WA economy, we will have the capacity to meet future demand in these industries that underpin the State's economy."
The announcement is pasted below:
The State Government has identified $3.8billion worth of strategic metropolitan and regional based projects that are essential for the future development of Western Australia.
In its submission to the Commonwealth's Building Australia Fund, the State Government has identified essential services for indigenous communities, the sinking of the Perth-Fremantle railway line, the nation-building Ord Stage Two project and improved transport links for the redevelopment of Perth Airport as part of its ambitious plan for the State.
Premier Colin Barnett said the five projects would require the Commonwealth to contribute $2.68billion over the expected life of the projects with the remainder coming from WA.
He also said the State has asked the Commonwealth to contribute $1.6billion over the forward estimates to the next four years.
"The State Government's submission to Infrastructure Australia reflects the priorities of the new State Government. For example, the previous government's submission did not include the Northbridge Link project as a priority," the Premier said.
"Despite years of massive economic boom, these key State and nation-building projects went nowhere.
"My Government wants to move ahead with these projects despite a slowing economic environment because they will underpin the future growth of the State.
"Projects like the Ord expansion and Oakajee will stimulate important private sector investment in agriculture and mining and will ensure that in these areas, that are essential to the WA economy, we will have the capacity to meet future demand in these industries that underpin the State's economy.
"The Perth-Fremantle rail line has divided Perth for more than a century and its sinking will remove traffic congestion and attract further investment in the urban renewal of the city's heart - by connecting its entertainment district with the CBD.
"The Northbridge Link is a project that was choked by the inaction of the previous government and Perth is poorer for that mismanagement."
The new submission will be framed and handed to the Commonwealth by the end of this week.
The release of an interim report on infrastructure priorities from Infrastructure Australia by December 31, instead of March 2009, is a direct result of a decision made at the Perth COAG meeting hosted earlier this month.
Project list:
1. Ord Stage 2 (a staged project starting in mid-2009) offers scope for new irrigated agriculture on a large scale. The project will involve upgrades and extensions to the M1 channel to service up to 16,000 hectares in the Weabar Plains area. The plan will also involve upgrades to the Kununurra airport, and upgrades and expansion of the Kununurra District High School, the Wyndham Port and road building. The project is expected to cost $393million with a $195million contribution from the State.
2. Oakajee Port - This involves the building of common use infrastructure for the outer harbour (ie. Breakwater, channel and turning basin). The project represents the creation of a world-class asset to facilitate Australia's future economic development. The new port will increase the likelihood of other mining projects becoming a reality. The private sector will be responsible for the rail infrastructure as well as port facilities such as berth, conveyors and ship loaders. The estimated cost of the project is $678million with a State Government contribution of $339million.
3. Northbridge Link - this involves the sinking the central city section of the Perth-Fremantle railway line to remove the barrier between Perth and Northbridge The project will also remove congestion created by traffic between the CBD and Northbridge. It is envisaged that the sinking of the rail line could be completed within five years. The estimated cost of this project is $263million of which $132million will come from the State.
4. Pilbara Housing and Indigenous Essential Services - affordable housing and infrastructure including power and water supply to address the accommodation shortages and service shortfalls for workers and residents is critical to underpinning development in the State's North-West. The specific requirements of the proposal will be included by the Pilbara Housing Study which is due to start soon. The project is estimated to cost $500million which will be shared by the State and Federal Governments.
Essential services for remote indigenous communities will improve safety, quality and reliability of water, power and wastewater services in Aboriginal communities, closing the gaps in service standards and improving the general health of indigenous. There are 287 Aboriginal communities which are accommodated by about 17,000 people. The project is estimated at $1.5billion with funding from the Commonwealth Federal Government.
5. Transport Links around Perth Airport - This project involves the development of road network improvements as part of the redevelopment of Perth Airport. A range of road projects are estimated at $525million and are to be shared between the State and Federal Governments.
They include:
- Orrong Road between Leach Highway and Graham Farmer Freeway
- the Roe/Tonkin Highway interchange
- Tonkin Highway upgrade to freeway status
- Boud interchange (to fix Tonkin Highway north)
- Leach interchange and Horrie Miller Drive/Kewdale ramps/flyover
- Berkshire extension to Hudswell on airport
- Grogan/Abernathy and potential upgrade to Maida Vale (to fix the Abernathy and future Lloyd Street demand)
