PORT AND FREIGHT MOVEMENT INVESTMENT
667. Ms L. DALTON to the Minister for Ports:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's investment in job-creating and economy-driving
infrastructure across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister please update the house on projects underway to support Western Australian
trade?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house how these investments will drive economic growth,
support business and create more jobs?
Ms R.
SAFFIOTI replied:
I thank the
member for Geraldton for the question.
(1)–(2) Of
course, as part of our drive to continue to not only grow, but also diversify
the Western Australian economy, investment in ports and freight movement across
the state is very, very important. Economic infrastructure for Western Australia—our
port infrastructure—is fundamental to the continued growth of and our
ability to diversify the WA economy. That is why, member for Geraldton, we are
investing over $300 million in Geraldton to facilitate further trade and new
trade through that port and to make sure that Geraldton
continues to be an economic powerhouse. We are also investing record amounts in
infrastructure in the Kimberley. For the ports in the Pilbara, the
economic powerhouse of the nation, we will be investing in more common-user infrastructure across both Port Hedland and Dampier.
We welcome the contribution of the
federal government of over $500 million for common-user infrastructure at
Lumsden Point and also through Dampier port. This will provide the
ability to increase our trade volume and expand the material that we can put
through our ports.
The
other key project that we are delivering is the expansion of grain freight
movements throughout regional Western Australia. We are working with Arc
Infrastructure and CBH Group, with a joint investment of $200 million. This
means, for example, expanding the rail capacity in regional WA.
There
is a lot of catch-up still to be done because of the previous government's
policy decisions to privatise Westrail
freight, close tier 3 rail lines and spend $20 million to sell Fremantle port.
There is a lot to unwind. We are investing across the state to encourage
and enhance our economic opportunities in the future.