The McGowan Government has welcomed the $1.1 billion transport infrastructure spend today announced by the Commonwealth Government.
The projects, negotiated by the State Government, will help create thousands of local jobs and improve safety across the State.
This will extend the $6.5 billion pipeline of road and rail works currently underway across Western Australia, creating and supporting jobs and providing opportunities for local businesses.
The McGowan Government is already spending $260 million a month on infrastructure, with $100 million of this funding in regional WA.
Key projects funded in today’s announcement include $16 million for Cape Leveque access roads in the Kimberley and $16 million for works on the Goldfields Highway (Wiluna to Meekatharra), which will enable the continuation of local jobs and training opportunities in the local area.
Regional road safety is a major priority of the McGowan Government we welcome further funding for the Wheatbelt Secondary Freight Network, and other regional road safety projects.
Funding for other major road projects, such as the Roe Highway interchange project, will allow the project scope to expand and to be progressed as soon as possible.
The McGowan Government has also worked to fast track approvals and cut red tape for an additional 11 major transport infrastructure projects, worth $2.37 billion and estimated to create 13,000 local jobs.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
“We’ve worked collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government to identify projects that will create and support local jobs while also improving safety and capacity across our road and rail networks.
“We already have a pipeline of $6.5 billion of major road and rail works underway across Western Australia over the next two years – this will extend the pipeline of work and will continue to help the State economy through and past COVID-19.
“This year alone we have seven METRONET projects under construction with several more moving into procurement phase, creating thousands of local jobs, as well as major road projects underway such as the $175 million Albany Ring Road.
“We’re building the transport infrastructure needed for tomorrow – no matter where you visit in WA you will see hard hats on the ground and infrastructure works underway.”
