Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann

WSA Co has today announced its procurement strategy for the construction of the $5.3 billion Western Sydney Airport.

There will be three packages of work, with the first and largest encompassing first stage earthworks and utilities and airside pavements. Expressions of Interest for this first package will be released in February 2018.

The second major package will be the terminal building and associated airside and landside interface works. The third package will include the landside roads, carparks and associated works.

Together, these packages comprise the Main Works program. WSA Co is already procuring the Airport Enabling Works program, with geotechnical investigations and land survey services recently released to market.

We also welcome the signing of a contract with TransGrid for the relocation of the high-voltage transmission line that currently crosses the site.

TransGrid, the manager and operator of the NSW transmission network, will relocate the existing 3.2 kilometre section of aboveground high-voltage transmission line to an underground cable route wholly located within the airport site. The line is a key part of the transmission network in NSW, connecting Canberra and the Sydney metropolitan area.

The agreement marks a critical and necessary step in preparing the 1780 hectare site for construction and is the culmination of three years of planning, which includes the completion of feasibility and scoping studies and an Environmental Assessment to comply with the requirements of the Airport Plan.

The existing on-site transmission towers will also be removed from the site once the new cable is operational.

In addition, the company is proceeding with an early works procurement package for earthmoving works, with the package to go to market before the end of the year and with work on the site to commence before the end of 2018.

When the Turnbull Government established WSA Co it recognised the need to ensure commercial decisions were made for the airport independent of Government.

We welcome today’s announcement, which demonstrates the company’s progress towards delivering the Western Sydney Airport, and meeting the Government’s expectation for construction to start in 2018 and the airport to begin operations in 2026.

WSA Co will draw on private sector expertise and operate at arm’s length from the Government. For more information on the announcements visit wsaco.com.au/media/2017/