Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann

The Commonwealth Government will invest an additional $499 million in road infrastructure in Western Australia.

This investment acknowledges the specific circumstances facing Western Australia as a result of their GST revenue shortfall next financial year (2015-16).

As foreshadowed at the recent meeting of the Council of Australian Governments, Western Australia is facing particular challenges at present and we are committed to ensuring it can continue to build the infrastructure of the future to boost jobs and growth.

Our investment will help the people of Western Australia continue to foster the wealth, strength and dynamism upon which our country critically depends.

The Commonwealth will contribute new funds to the following projects:

• Mitchell Freeway upgrade from Burns Beach Road to Hester Avenue;
• Kwinana Freeway – Roe Highway to Russell Road – Widening South Bound;
• NorthLink WA – Swan Valley Bypass Section;
• NorthLink WA – Tonkin Highway Grade Separation;
• Reid Highway – Malaga Drive Intersection Grade Separation;
• Roe Highway – Berkshire Road Grade Separation;
• Aubin Grove Train Station Precinct – Traffic Congestion Solution;
• Traffic Congestion Management Program; and
• Great Eastern Highway – Bilgoman Road to Mundaring.

Better roads mean more jobs and safer journeys for families.

This investment will support vital infrastructure projects aimed at reducing congestion so people can spend less time in traffic and more time at home with their families.

In the course of our discussions about this additional support, the Commonwealth Government has encouraged the Western Australian Government to pursue further micro-economic reforms. These should include progressing further privatisations, including in relation to ports, the TAB and poles and wires; the abolition of the Potato Marketing Corporation; and further deregulation of trading hours.

Western Australia will be able to access significant federal incentive payments towards further investment in job creating economic infrastructure, when re-investing the proceeds of any privatisations into such infrastructure projects.

This commitment to Western Australia is an important part of building a stronger and more prosperous Australia.

A list of proposed projects and the funding commitment from the Commonwealth is attached.