Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 629

❓ Hon Steve Martin questions the Minister for Transport regarding the cost increase of the Bussell Highway Duplication project, attributing it to market increases and rainfall. The Minister's response cites supply chain disruptions and specific rainfall events causing delays.

AnsweredQoN 629Legislative Council

Asked

17 September 2025

Member

Hon Steve Martin

Portfolio

Transport

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the Minister's answer during Budget Estimates in which it was explained that the year to year estimated total cost for the Bussell Highway Duplication Stage One and Stage Two has risen from $125 million last year to $170 million due to "market increases to the Western Australian (WA) civil engineer and design service sector and above average winter rainfall", and I ask: (a) can the Minister provide a numerical figure, in the context of the change from $125 million to $170 million, attributable to market increases to the WA civil engineer and design service sector; (b) can the Minister provide a numerical figure, in the context of the change from $125 million to $170 million, attributable to the above average winter rainfall; and (c) in relation to the above average winter rainfall, can the Minister explain more about: (i) the original expectations in relation to rainfall; (ii) the actual eventuation of rainfall; and (iii) how the rainfall levels impacted the project?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

21 October 2025

Responded by

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport

Response time

5 days

(a)-(c) Like many infrastructure projects delivered over the last five years, major supply chain disruptions resulted in timeframes being pushed out.
Several significant weather events were recorded in May, July and November of 2024 in which up to 30mm, 30mm and 100mm of rainfall occurred respectively over the area within a short period. This resulted in an extended delay to the works.

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