❓ Mr. Bowler asks about the impact of PortLink funding on Kalgoorlie. The Minister details the project's benefits, including improved freight links, economic development, and reduced travel distances, highlighting state and federal government commitment.
AnsweredQoN 153Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PORTLINK INLAND
FREIGHT CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN
153. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER to the Minister for Regional Development:
I was pleased to hear the minister's announcement in
Kalgoorlie this week regarding the funding of phase 1 of the PortLink project,
a significant project for my electorate. Can the minister update the house on
what this means for Kalgoorlie and the surrounding area?
FREIGHT CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN
153. Mr J.J.M. BOWLER to the Minister for Regional Development:
I was pleased to hear the minister's announcement in
Kalgoorlie this week regarding the funding of phase 1 of the PortLink project,
a significant project for my electorate. Can the minister update the house on
what this means for Kalgoorlie and the surrounding area?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kalgoorlie
for the question. It was great to be in Kalgoorlie last Friday to indicate to
the local community that, after 20 years of trying, at last the government had
taken some notice of a major regional development project in its heartland. The
planning phase of the PortLink inland freight corridor development plan will
receive $5 million of royalties for regions money. Interestingly, the federal
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Hon Anthony Albanese, has committed
$2 million of federal funding to the same project. Between the strong lobbying
and support from the member for Kalgoorlie and the federal member for O'Connor,
Tony Crook, who has done an enormous amount of work to bring this project to
the fore, we now have a state and federal government commitment to the planning
phase of this very important project.
The project involves the
construction of an intermodal freight hub terminal in Kalgoorlie as well as the
realignment of the railway that travels through the middle of the Kalgoorlie–Boulder
town site and, importantly, a sealed road link between Wiluna and Meekatharra,
which will give a more direct road link from Kalgoorlie, north, into the most
prosperous area of Australia, the Pilbara. I know that the member for
Kalgoorlie is very determined to see a more direct link built between Wiluna
and Great Northern Highway. I commit that in phase 2 we will investigate a more
direct link between Wiluna and Great Northern Highway. The project will link
the ports of Port Hedland and Esperance through the intermodal terminal in
Kalgoorlie. Future planning suggests that with construction of the Oakajee
port, we need to start looking west and have a linkage from the intermodal
terminal at Kalgoorlie to the Oakajee port. A better freight network is vitally
important to deliver economic development and employment opportunities in the
region.
This project is in response to the
very strong growth in the resources sector. Currently, we are relying on Perth
as the transport hub. Anyone who has travelled on Great Northern Highway
heading out of Perth through Bindoon and the like will know that that road is
under enormous pressure with wide loads travelling past at a rate of one almost
every two minutes. At night that road is a scary proposition. It is vitally
important that we do better in providing intelligent freight logistics to
enable the growth in the Pilbara.
The distance for freight going
through Kalgoorlie direct to the Pilbara would be reduced by around 1 300
kilometres at the completion of this project. If we can link the road through
to Meekatharra, it will save a difference of 1 300 kilometres by not going from
Kalgoorlie to Perth, up Great Northern Highway and intersecting at Meekatharra.
I think the commonwealth is interested because it is interested in linking the
manufacturing sector of the east coast more strongly with the huge demand of
the Pilbara. I think as a nation-building project, this has a great deal of
merit in getting better capacity from the eastern states to help drive the
Western Australian economy. It is for that reason that I hope this is not only
a commitment of planning money from the commonwealth, but also recognition that
when we get into project definition and funding, the commonwealth will be an
equal partner with the state to deliver that project.
The PortLink will build on the
regional freight transport network plan being finalised by the Department of
Transport and it confirms a strategic link between the Goldfields–Yilgarn
region and the ports of Esperance, Kwinana and Geraldton and in the Pilbara. As
I said, this project has been talked about for 20 years. At last, under the
Liberal–National government, the project stops being talked about and
moves into the planning phase and then the development and delivery phase after
that. It is a great day for Kalgoorlie and a great day for the state.
for the question. It was great to be in Kalgoorlie last Friday to indicate to
the local community that, after 20 years of trying, at last the government had
taken some notice of a major regional development project in its heartland. The
planning phase of the PortLink inland freight corridor development plan will
receive $5 million of royalties for regions money. Interestingly, the federal
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Hon Anthony Albanese, has committed
$2 million of federal funding to the same project. Between the strong lobbying
and support from the member for Kalgoorlie and the federal member for O'Connor,
Tony Crook, who has done an enormous amount of work to bring this project to
the fore, we now have a state and federal government commitment to the planning
phase of this very important project.
The project involves the
construction of an intermodal freight hub terminal in Kalgoorlie as well as the
realignment of the railway that travels through the middle of the Kalgoorlie–Boulder
town site and, importantly, a sealed road link between Wiluna and Meekatharra,
which will give a more direct road link from Kalgoorlie, north, into the most
prosperous area of Australia, the Pilbara. I know that the member for
Kalgoorlie is very determined to see a more direct link built between Wiluna
and Great Northern Highway. I commit that in phase 2 we will investigate a more
direct link between Wiluna and Great Northern Highway. The project will link
the ports of Port Hedland and Esperance through the intermodal terminal in
Kalgoorlie. Future planning suggests that with construction of the Oakajee
port, we need to start looking west and have a linkage from the intermodal
terminal at Kalgoorlie to the Oakajee port. A better freight network is vitally
important to deliver economic development and employment opportunities in the
region.
This project is in response to the
very strong growth in the resources sector. Currently, we are relying on Perth
as the transport hub. Anyone who has travelled on Great Northern Highway
heading out of Perth through Bindoon and the like will know that that road is
under enormous pressure with wide loads travelling past at a rate of one almost
every two minutes. At night that road is a scary proposition. It is vitally
important that we do better in providing intelligent freight logistics to
enable the growth in the Pilbara.
The distance for freight going
through Kalgoorlie direct to the Pilbara would be reduced by around 1 300
kilometres at the completion of this project. If we can link the road through
to Meekatharra, it will save a difference of 1 300 kilometres by not going from
Kalgoorlie to Perth, up Great Northern Highway and intersecting at Meekatharra.
I think the commonwealth is interested because it is interested in linking the
manufacturing sector of the east coast more strongly with the huge demand of
the Pilbara. I think as a nation-building project, this has a great deal of
merit in getting better capacity from the eastern states to help drive the
Western Australian economy. It is for that reason that I hope this is not only
a commitment of planning money from the commonwealth, but also recognition that
when we get into project definition and funding, the commonwealth will be an
equal partner with the state to deliver that project.
The PortLink will build on the
regional freight transport network plan being finalised by the Department of
Transport and it confirms a strategic link between the Goldfields–Yilgarn
region and the ports of Esperance, Kwinana and Geraldton and in the Pilbara. As
I said, this project has been talked about for 20 years. At last, under the
Liberal–National government, the project stops being talked about and
moves into the planning phase and then the development and delivery phase after
that. It is a great day for Kalgoorlie and a great day for the state.
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