ANALYSIS: A commitment to carry out studies into the congestion squeeze at Rockingham has been welcomed by local government, as pressure builds to support a growing defence sector.
THE state and federal governments delivered an early Christmas present – of sorts – to a Rockingham community bracing for a defence-fuelled population influx from 2027.
The announcement the Albanese and Cook governments would dual-fund three studies into the infrastructure and transport requirements of the area around HMAS Stirling was welcome acknowledgement of concerns trumpeted by the City of Rockingham for years.
The tri-lateral Aukus defence pact, between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, will see nuclear submarines stationed at the Garden Island defence base from 2027.
The presence will grow from there, and an inflow of people is expected alongside it.
Investment in the order of $738 million is planned to upgrade HMAS Stirling, and the population at the base is projected to grow by 40 per cent by 2040.
Over the water at Rockingham, population is expected to jump by 64 per cent, to 245,000 people by 2043, as the government delivers on its defence vision for the precinct.
The enduring fears over congestion at Rockingham have featured in this column previously, and the local government has highlighted its concerns that, unlike the private sector, the Department of Defence is not required to factor infrastructure for surrounding areas into its planning.
The roads are already busy – so much so that the City of Rockingham commissioned a 400-page report by Stantec into the Cape Peron precinct’s travel needs in a bid to further the case for a new highway connecting Garden Island to the mainland.
It was tabled by Liberal Senator for Western Australia Linda Reynolds in the federal parliament in November, with a warning of dire consequences in the region for political inaction.
“In somewhat desperation, the City of Rockingham and the southern city councils have just completed a transport needs survey looking at the Aukus implications, which are now going to be active in less than two years,” Ms Reynolds said.
“Something we have talked about before is the Garden Island highway.
“Without any road remediations, by 2030, there will be a 2.3-kilometre backlog of traffic to and from the island every day going right through the heart of Rockingham.”
The sticking point for a Garden Island highway is the presence of and potential impacts for Lake Richmond – a freshwater reserve in bushland spanning 77 hectares.
The pre-Christmas announcement that the state and federal governments would fund three reports at a cost of $2 million over 10 months came with an assurance from the member for Brand, Madeleine King, that the federal government would deliver the required upgrades.
“As a local, like everyone else, I’ve been caught in the traffic snarls; I see the effects the trucks are having on roads and residents; and I know how important Lake Richmond is to the environment and the community,” Ms King said.
“Aukus will deliver incredible benefits to Rockingham and beyond, but we also need to ensure the local community is supported with improved roads and transport infrastructure.”
The city was also pleased.
“The city has been advocating for many years to both state and federal governments for a feasibility study into the Garden Island Highway to see if it can provide a viable solution to the issues caused by the growth in traffic to and from HMAS Stirling on Garden Island,” City of Rockingham mayor Deb Hamblin said.
“We are very pleased to see the state and federal governments are now looking seriously at how to enhance infrastructure and connectivity in Rockingham as our community accommodates the local-level impacts of Aukus.”
Recognition of the need for infrastructure upgrades is welcome. But the time pressures remain.
In February 2024, a Department of Defence spokesperson told Ms Reynolds that a two-year timeframe for the construction of a highway – even a short one like that proposed between Rockingham and Garden Island – was “potentially optimistic”.
The planned completion of the three studies at the tail-end of 2025 leaves little window for error in the delivery of a critical piece of infrastructure in support of defence’s growth.
It will be watched with great interest on both sides of the water.
This column appeared in the January 20 edition of Business News.
