❓ The Premier outlines the government's $606 million investment in Pilbara water infrastructure, focusing on the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant and other regional investments in housing, education and health.
AnsweredQoN 116Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Seawater desalination plant—Dampier
116. Mr Kevin Michel to
the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to delivering quality infrastructure and services
for regional Western Australians. Can the Premier outline to the house how this
government's $606 million investment into Pilbara water infrastructure will
support households and businesses across the region, and can the Premier update
the house on other investments being made in the Pilbara?
116. Mr Kevin Michel to
the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to delivering quality infrastructure and services
for regional Western Australians. Can the Premier outline to the house how this
government's $606 million investment into Pilbara water infrastructure will
support households and businesses across the region, and can the Premier update
the house on other investments being made in the Pilbara?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for the question. It was wonderful to be with the member last week in his
electorate to talk about some of the great investments that we are making right
across his community. As the member knows, our $606 million investment to
double the capacity of the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant is a significant
step in ensuring the long-term water security and sustainability of West Pilbara
communities. But not only that, it will create local jobs and strengthen the
local economy. We are working in partnership with traditional owners and Rio
Tinto to deliver this project. Stage 1 is already under construction, and that
is under the stewardship of Rio Tinto, but our additional investment will allow
expedited delivery of stage 2, which will come online in 2027. When stage 2 is
complete, the plant will be able to supply eight billion litres of water to the
Pilbara annually. That means that communities at Dampier, Karratha, Roebourne
and Wickham will all get the opportunity to have a sustainable water supply
into the future. This will not only secure water supplies, but also help us to
transition away from water extraction from the Pilbara's natural environment,
specifically the Bungaroo Valley. It will also provide drinking water to more
than 10,000 homes.
In addition to
safeguarding water security, this investment will support sustained economic
growth and future development across the region. By investing in water and
particularly desalination plants we are unlocking the potential of our regional
communities the length and breadth of this state. This particular investment
will ensure that the Pilbara continues to play a major role in decarbonising
Western Australia's economy, and it builds on our $12.4 million investment last
year to support the long-term sustainability of the Millstream aquifer.
The member for
Pilbara also asked about other important investments, and I can tell members that
there are many on the way. I had the pleasure of visiting the Pilbara last week
to open the multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the Roebourne District High
School. This is an incredible piece of social infrastructure, providing the
kids there with outstanding education facilities,
making sure that their future is bright in a school that means more than just lessons
between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm. It is an important part of their connected life to
the community. We are also delivering on housing. We recently released an
additional 33 residential lots to boost key worker housing in Karratha, and
through the Infrastructure Development Fund we are supporting key worker and
community housing projects including at the Kiwirrkurra community in the East
Pilbara. We are investing in health so that people in the Pilbara can access
the health care they need when they need it, delivering the Karratha step-up,
step-down facility and the Tom Price Health Service redevelopment.
WA has the strongest
economy in the nation, thanks largely to the Pilbara and our world-leading
resources industry. That is why we want to ensure that Western Australians who
live in such an important part of our state have access to the infrastructure
and services they need—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: —so that the Pilbara remains a
vibrant region for people to live, work and raise a family now and into the
future.
for the question. It was wonderful to be with the member last week in his
electorate to talk about some of the great investments that we are making right
across his community. As the member knows, our $606 million investment to
double the capacity of the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant is a significant
step in ensuring the long-term water security and sustainability of West Pilbara
communities. But not only that, it will create local jobs and strengthen the
local economy. We are working in partnership with traditional owners and Rio
Tinto to deliver this project. Stage 1 is already under construction, and that
is under the stewardship of Rio Tinto, but our additional investment will allow
expedited delivery of stage 2, which will come online in 2027. When stage 2 is
complete, the plant will be able to supply eight billion litres of water to the
Pilbara annually. That means that communities at Dampier, Karratha, Roebourne
and Wickham will all get the opportunity to have a sustainable water supply
into the future. This will not only secure water supplies, but also help us to
transition away from water extraction from the Pilbara's natural environment,
specifically the Bungaroo Valley. It will also provide drinking water to more
than 10,000 homes.
In addition to
safeguarding water security, this investment will support sustained economic
growth and future development across the region. By investing in water and
particularly desalination plants we are unlocking the potential of our regional
communities the length and breadth of this state. This particular investment
will ensure that the Pilbara continues to play a major role in decarbonising
Western Australia's economy, and it builds on our $12.4 million investment last
year to support the long-term sustainability of the Millstream aquifer.
The member for
Pilbara also asked about other important investments, and I can tell members that
there are many on the way. I had the pleasure of visiting the Pilbara last week
to open the multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the Roebourne District High
School. This is an incredible piece of social infrastructure, providing the
kids there with outstanding education facilities,
making sure that their future is bright in a school that means more than just lessons
between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm. It is an important part of their connected life to
the community. We are also delivering on housing. We recently released an
additional 33 residential lots to boost key worker housing in Karratha, and
through the Infrastructure Development Fund we are supporting key worker and
community housing projects including at the Kiwirrkurra community in the East
Pilbara. We are investing in health so that people in the Pilbara can access
the health care they need when they need it, delivering the Karratha step-up,
step-down facility and the Tom Price Health Service redevelopment.
WA has the strongest
economy in the nation, thanks largely to the Pilbara and our world-leading
resources industry. That is why we want to ensure that Western Australians who
live in such an important part of our state have access to the infrastructure
and services they need—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: —so that the Pilbara remains a
vibrant region for people to live, work and raise a family now and into the
future.
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