Special Report: Building For Growth

The state government has a record capital works budget, but does it have the right priorities and can it deliver?

Ask Western Australia’s two major business groups about their infrastructure priorities and the response is unexpected.

The state government will pour more than $4 billion into a makeover of the health sector over the next decade, with the Fiona Stanley Hospital the standout in the overall capital works budget.

Despite big investments in energy infrastructure, Western Australia is still subject to major disruptions.

Western Australia’s growing population, driven to a large degree by the resources boom, has placed increasing importance on the management of the state’s water supplies.

Most of Western Australia’s major shipping ports have undergone major expansion projects in recent years, as they endeavour to cope with rapidly growing demand for their services.

Western Australia has one of the largest geographically spread road networks in the world, covering around 2.5 million square kilometers and valued by Main Roads at $19 billion.