No Infrastructure Plan Costs WA Again

The absence of a prioritised infrastructure plan and a delivery agency in Western Australia has once again seen the state short-changed in the federal opposition’s bold national infrastructure funding proposal.

In the leader of the Opposition’s announcement funding was pledged to at least one major infrastructure project in every state but WA.

The vagueness of the ALP’s commitment to WA projects has left the state in the dark while others are reaping the benefits.

“Due to the State Government’s lack of vision the private sector has had no choice but to establish Infrastructure WA ( a collective of 13 industry associations) to plan and prioritise key infrastructure projects to keep WA growing,” Property Council Of Australia WA Executive Director Joe Lenzo said.

“Industry is urgently calling on state government to launch an independent body to plan and prioritise infrastructure projects based on rigorous analysis of need and greatest benefit.”

The property industry welcomes the Leader of the Opposition’s announcement to spend $10 billion on Infrastructure projects and we will be sending the Growing WA research report that identifies the projects that will give the greatest benefit to WA to Mr Shorten, to make sure we get our fair share of infrastructure funding.

These prioritised projects are Max Light Rail, The Western Trade Coast and the Peel Economic and Environmental Initiative.  These projects will unlock $27 billion of economic activity in WA and create 32,0 new jobs.

The lack of any clear WA infrastructure project in Mr Shorten’s announcement proves that WA simply just isn’t ready to invest in future jobs and prosperity that can only be achieved through major infrastructure projects.

“If the government refuses to step up, the private sector will,” Lenzo said.