❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses road infrastructure needs due to iron ore industry expansion in the mid-west and northern agricultural region. The Minister details existing and planned investments in road and rail infrastructure to support the industry and manage increased traffic.
AnsweredQoN 174Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
IRON ORE INDUSTRY — ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
Iron ore exports in 2007 amounted to $16.1 billion and now account for 30 per cent of Western Australia’s mining and petroleum industry, and the export of iron ore is a major contributor to the estimated $2.5 billion in annual state royalty collections. (1) What is the minister doing to support the transport needs of the mid-west iron ore industry, given its planned expansion? (2) What is the minister doing to deal with the increased road traffic associated with the iron ore industry in the northern agricultural region? (3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
Iron ore exports in 2007 amounted to $16.1 billion and now account for 30 per cent of Western Australia’s mining and petroleum industry, and the export of iron ore is a major contributor to the estimated $2.5 billion in annual state royalty collections. (1) What is the minister doing to support the transport needs of the mid-west iron ore industry, given its planned expansion? (2) What is the minister doing to deal with the increased road traffic associated with the iron ore industry in the northern agricultural region? (3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(1) What is the minister doing to support the transport needs of the mid-west iron ore industry, given its planned expansion? (2) What is the minister doing to deal with the increased road traffic associated with the iron ore industry in the northern agricultural region? (3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(2) What is the minister doing to deal with the increased road traffic associated with the iron ore industry in the northern agricultural region? (3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(1) What is the minister doing to support the transport needs of the mid-west iron ore industry, given its planned expansion? (2) What is the minister doing to deal with the increased road traffic associated with the iron ore industry in the northern agricultural region? (3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(2) What is the minister doing to deal with the increased road traffic associated with the iron ore industry in the northern agricultural region? (3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(3) What priority does Main Roads give to the Perenjori to Mullewa Road, and when will the road be upgraded to a two-lane bitumen road? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied : I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
(1)-(3) The member is well aware of the investment that we have made in the mid-west. In our first year of government we began the construction of the Mt Magnet-Leinster Road, which at that time was the biggest road project in Australia. That created the very important connectivity between the northern goldfields and Geraldton and it certainly has facilitated the development of the mid-west. We have already put in place stage 1 of the southern transport corridor. That project cost in excess of $100 million and it brought rail and road freight to the newly expanded Geraldton port. Very soon we will announce the award for the contract for stage 2 of the southern transport corridor. That project will help us manage the transport of iron ore into the newly expanded port of Geraldton. I remind members that we have spent probably in excess of $170 million on the transport infrastructure at the port. Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Contributing to our export performance. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Indeed. It has allowed the iron ore industry in the mid-west to get underway. We have put a good deal of money into the Mullewa Road project and we will continue to look at the needs of that area. Our immediate focus has been to get as much of that traffic as possible off road and onto rail. To that end, we have worked very hard to get the Midwest Corporation Ltd to commit—it has told us it has let the contracts—to develop the Tilley siding. Oakajee is the next big thing and we will now look at the road requirements that we must provide to service that facility. In the next 12 months, we expect to have a comprehensive road plan that will be needed to augment the private sector development of the Oakajee rail and port infrastructure.
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