Western Australia will be seeing a major boost in infrastructure and jobs, with a record $5.4 billion infrastructure package that will build major infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs as well as stimulate economic growth and address road congestion across the State.
This infrastructure package is going to be delivered by the Australian and Western Australian Governments. A $3.2 billion funding has been allotted for this from the Commonwealth Budget 2018-19. This funding follows on from last year’s Budget investment of $2.3 billion ‘Boosting Jobs, Busting Congestion’ package.
Listed below are the projects covered by the multi-billion dollar investment.
METRONET
- Construction of Morley-Ellenbrook Line (estimated cost of $1 billion, with $500 million in federal funding)
- Extension of the Armdale Line to Byford (estimated cost of $481 million, with $241 million in federal funding)
- The Midland Station Project, including the relocation of Midland Station (estimated cost of $165 million, with $83 million in federal funding)
- $2 million in business case funding for a railway station at Lakelands, with further federal funding earmarked for the construction, subject to the business case
- A further $226 million in federal funding to support other METRONET related projects
Roads
- Bunbury Outer Ring Road - stages 2 and 3 - completing the remaining stages from the South Western Highway to the Bussell Highway and from the Perth-Bunbury Highway to near Picton Boyanup Road (estimated cost of $700 million, with $560 million in federal funding)
- Tonkin Highway improvements including:
- Stage 3 Extension - extending Tonkin Highway from Thomas Road to South West Highway, including grade separations at Thomas, Orton and Mundijong Roads and South Western Highway and a grade separated interchange at Bishop Road (estimated cost of $505 million, with $253 million in federal funding)
- Tonkin Highway Gap - widening, reconfiguring and implementing managed motorway technologies to resolve the current gap in service levels (estimated cost of $290 million, with $145 million in federal funding)
- Hale, Welshpool and Kelvin interchanges - constructing grade separations at these priority intersections (estimated cost of $366 million, with $183 million in federal funding)
- Mitchell Freeway Extension from Hester Avenue to Romeo Road (estimated cost of $215 million, with $108 million in federal funding)
- Welshpool Road interchange at Leach Highway (estimated cost of $93 million, with $47 million in federal funding)
- Roe Highway-Great Eastern Highway Bypass Interchange (estimated cost of $180 million, with $144 million in federal funding)
- Stephenson Avenue extension (estimated cost of $130 million, with $65 million in federal funding)
- Great Northern Highway Bindoon Bypass (estimated cost of $275 million, with $220 million in federal funding)
- Planning work for the Eastlink WA Orange Route ($10 million in federal funding)
Funding for these METRONET and road projects will also be provided by the State Government - which is subject to normal State Budget processes - with further funding to be possibly sought from existing Federal Government infrastructure programs.
The cost estimates are indicative and the State Government will be providing the final costs for the projects through the usual business case development.
Myalup-Wellington Dam Project
Approximately $140 million in federal funding will be provided by the Australian Government to develop the Myalup-Wellington Dam Project, with up to $50 million in concessional loan.
The Myalup-Wellington Dam Project will be diverting high saline inflows upstream from Wellington Dam for desalination. This process will improve the quality of water that is stored in and released from the dam for agricultural use.
GST Top-up payments towards WA Hospital Infrastructure
The Turnbull Government has agreed to allocate $188.9 million from the federal WA GST top-up payment for a number of hospital infrastructure project, including:
- $158 million towards the Joondalup Health Campus expansion which includes 90 new public beds, 75 new mental health beds, a new stroke unit, 3 new cardiac catheter laboratories, a new 25 bed Coronary Care Unit, allowing for further expansion of the existing High Dependency Unit, an urgent care clinic, an ambulatory care centre and a Medihotel facility. This investment will ensure that the Joondalup Health Campus will be able to further develop its capacity to care for more complex patients closer to home
- $10.6 million towards the Osborne Park Hospital Expansion which will include a neo-natal facility upgrade and additional rehabilitation beds
- $20.3 million towards the refurbishment of the Royal Perth Hospital, including the mental health observation unit and Medihotel
These projects included in the WA infrastructure package will help provide better connection to the fast-growing areas in the north and south of Perth and improve various major freight routes. The infrastructure package will also deliver jobs and improve amenities as well as unlock future regional and urban development opportunities across the State.
The WA State Budget 2018-19 is set to be announced on 10 May 2018.
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Source: Government of Western Australia