Dr. Thomas questions the Minister for Regional Development on the Myalup-Wellington water project's progress and funding commitments. The Minister confirms state funding remains, federal funding is retained for WA water projects, and the business case is under evaluation.

AnsweredQoN 879Legislative Council
Asked
12 October 2022
Portfolio
Regional Development

QuestionView source ↗

MYALUP–WELLINGTON
WATER PROJECT
879. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the proposed Myalup–Wellington
water project.
(1) Has the
preliminary business case for the Collie to Coast proposal—that is, the
below-the-dam-wall components—been completed; and, if so, when was it
completed?
(2) Does the full $140 million grant and $40 million
loan commitment from the federal government announced in March 2018
remain committed?
(3) Does the full
$37 million committed by the state in January 2017 and reconfirmed by the
minister on 28 July 2017 remain committed?
(4) How much of
the committed state and federal funding will be redirected, and what are the
geographical boundaries or limits of any proposed alternative scheme that uses
the redirected funding?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for the question.
It has a tone of familiarity about it, but I am happy to answer.
(1) The
preliminary business case will be considered as part of the market-led proposal
stage 2 evaluation process, which is expected to be completed in early 2023. As
I understand it, that is proceeding well.
(2) The federal
government's 2022–23 budget—the last budget under the
last government—retained the $140 million commitment for future water
infrastructure projects in Western Australia. The federal government moved it
out of a bucket of funding specifically for that project and into general
funding. We gave the same argument in our case to the current federal
government as we gave for the other scheme: we are getting only two per cent
and that can hardly be cut. The option of a $50 million concessional loan
remains available, subject to a third party being capable of underwriting the
loan.
(3) Yes.
(4) The state
funding remains committed to support water security for growers in the Myalup–Wellington region. As aforementioned, the federal
funding is currently retained for future projects in Western Australia ,
subject to the submission of a robust business case.

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