❓ Mr. Love asks for details on the Growing our South investment fund. The Minister for Regional Development provides an overview of the fund's purpose, scope, and planned consultation process, highlighting past investments and strategic approach.
AnsweredQoN 363Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROYALTIES
FOR REGIONS— GROWING OUR SOUTH INVESTMENT FUND
363. Mr R.S. LOVE to the
Minister for Regional Development:
Can the minister please update the house with more details on
the Growing our South investment fund announced in the state budget?
FOR REGIONS— GROWING OUR SOUTH INVESTMENT FUND
363. Mr R.S. LOVE to the
Minister for Regional Development:
Can the minister please update the house with more details on
the Growing our South investment fund announced in the state budget?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Moore for the question. Given the
Wheatbelt Development Commission covers a significant part of the member's
electorate, I can understand how he would be interested in what is one of the
centrepieces of the state budget. As I mentioned very briefly in this house
before, the royalties for regions program contains a $600 million investment
initiative called Growing our South. It is about $515 million over five years
in the forward estimates. A significant part of the royalties for regions
program up to this point has dealt with a backlog of infrastructure and some
basic infrastructure challenges that regional WA faced after many years of
underinvestment. Over the course of the past five years under this government,
we have invested funds into all but four of the regional development commission
areas in Western Australia, significantly improving infrastructure, based on
planning that occurs locally as to what is important to try to trigger and
start economic growth in those regions. We know that will be the foundation of
long-term, sustainable regional communities.
The Growing our South initiative
that we announced will cover the Wheatbelt, Great Southern, South West and Peel
Development Commissions. A big part of the driver in the decision-making around
where this resource will go will come from the social and economic
infrastructure investment blueprints that the development commissions are
working on. They are in draft format now and will be out for public
consultation very soon. They will give a very clear direction to government
about the investments we need to support regional communities to ensure we set
regional Western Australia up for future growth and prosperity.
To give members an idea, although a
lot of the early investments in royalties for regions went north—we
make no apologies for that—we knew that was where the pressure points
were and where the rental challenges have been. The investments we made have
made a significant difference.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The member for Collie–Preston can hardly talk about pork-barrelling. Is
he going to call this pork-barrelling?
Mr M.P. Murray :
You have already done the pork-barrelling.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Member for Collie–Preston, I thought pork-barrelling was putting money
into your own electorate.
Mr M.P. Murray :
What about the $70 million you took out?
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The definition of pork-barrelling is putting money into your own electorate.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston!
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Despite a significant investment in the north, the southern areas have not
missed out up until now with things like Busselton Hospital, the Bunbury
coronary care unit, the Augusta boat harbour, the Collie town centre upgrades,
Albany Hospital, Katanning Senior High School and Denmark High School, Pinjarra
Senior High School, the Mandurah recreation centres and a range of other
initiatives. This fund will offer an opportunity to take a very strategic
approach to investments in those four regional development commission regions
to ensure that regional Western Australia is still a good place to live, work
and invest.
Wheatbelt Development Commission covers a significant part of the member's
electorate, I can understand how he would be interested in what is one of the
centrepieces of the state budget. As I mentioned very briefly in this house
before, the royalties for regions program contains a $600 million investment
initiative called Growing our South. It is about $515 million over five years
in the forward estimates. A significant part of the royalties for regions
program up to this point has dealt with a backlog of infrastructure and some
basic infrastructure challenges that regional WA faced after many years of
underinvestment. Over the course of the past five years under this government,
we have invested funds into all but four of the regional development commission
areas in Western Australia, significantly improving infrastructure, based on
planning that occurs locally as to what is important to try to trigger and
start economic growth in those regions. We know that will be the foundation of
long-term, sustainable regional communities.
The Growing our South initiative
that we announced will cover the Wheatbelt, Great Southern, South West and Peel
Development Commissions. A big part of the driver in the decision-making around
where this resource will go will come from the social and economic
infrastructure investment blueprints that the development commissions are
working on. They are in draft format now and will be out for public
consultation very soon. They will give a very clear direction to government
about the investments we need to support regional communities to ensure we set
regional Western Australia up for future growth and prosperity.
To give members an idea, although a
lot of the early investments in royalties for regions went north—we
make no apologies for that—we knew that was where the pressure points
were and where the rental challenges have been. The investments we made have
made a significant difference.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The member for Collie–Preston can hardly talk about pork-barrelling. Is
he going to call this pork-barrelling?
Mr M.P. Murray :
You have already done the pork-barrelling.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Member for Collie–Preston, I thought pork-barrelling was putting money
into your own electorate.
Mr M.P. Murray :
What about the $70 million you took out?
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The definition of pork-barrelling is putting money into your own electorate.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston!
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Despite a significant investment in the north, the southern areas have not
missed out up until now with things like Busselton Hospital, the Bunbury
coronary care unit, the Augusta boat harbour, the Collie town centre upgrades,
Albany Hospital, Katanning Senior High School and Denmark High School, Pinjarra
Senior High School, the Mandurah recreation centres and a range of other
initiatives. This fund will offer an opportunity to take a very strategic
approach to investments in those four regional development commission regions
to ensure that regional Western Australia is still a good place to live, work
and invest.
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