A Whiff of WIFT

The Property Council welcomed reports that the Andrews Government has committed to the development of the Western Interstate Freight Terminal (WIFT) at Truganina.

While this site has been mooted for years, the Property Council has been urging the Government to commit to the site, to assist with other strategic land use decisions west of Melbourne.

The Property Council supports investment in employment lands in the west, and for orderly growth to take place in this region.  The Property Council welcomes the Government’s commitment to the WIFT but is unable to fully support the announcement without any detail on the proposed project.

The WIFT is a key part of the freight and logistics supply chain in Victoria. Should a second port be located at Bay West, the location of the WIFT and supporting industries in the same precinct would deliver efficiencies and jobs in the growth areas of Melbourne. The WIFT is also an important part of the Federal Inland Rail project and will need to accommodate double stacked containers.

It is imperative that Government, Industry and the Port of Melbourne work collaboratively to maximise efficiencies in the freight industry, and to attract new investment to Victoria.  Underpinning this industry, is the industrial property, particularly warehousing to move goods around Melbourne.

The Property Council’s Infrastructure, Industrial and Logistics Committee advocates on behalf of the industry to promote the importance of the sector to Victoria, advocate for greater investment in the freight network, and to maintain Victoria’s competitive edge in the industrial property sector.  For more information on the committee, contact Linda Allison on 03 96 8300.