$670 million infrastructure boost for Western Australia

In the 2022-23 Federal Budget, the Australian Government is delivering on $670 million of election commitments for vital infrastructure projects in Western Australia.

We are partnering with the McGowan Labor Government to deliver an electric bus network for Perth.

The budget includes $125 million toward electric bus charging infrastructure, which will be matched by the WA Government through the local manufacture of 130 new buses.

This funding will help deliver a new electric bus network for Perth through upgrades to bus depots and the installation of appropriate charging infrastructure.

This investment will ensure that depots are future-ready.

The first locally manufactured buses will roll off the assembly line in 2024-25 and will be used in the Perth CBD, with the remainder of the buses to service the Perth metropolitan region.

The next generation of Perth’s public transport will be built by local workers, with over 100 new jobs will be created by this initiative, and more than 300 existing workers transitioning to jobs in cleaner technology.

Our Budget investment will also include a share of a new $1.5 billion Freight Highway Upgrade Program, which will deliver priority upgrades to the interstate Tanami Road and other nationally significant freight routes.

We are working in partnership with the Western Australian Government on the investments that delivers the best value for taxpayers’ dollars and the best outcomes for the people of Western Australia.

A BETTER WAY

The Albanese Government wants infrastructure that leaves a lasting legacy. Our first budget will honour the pledges we made to voters in urban and regional Australia while also managing the economy in an uncertain global environment.

The budget takes an important first step in ensuring the Commonwealth’s infrastructure spending is responsible, affordable and sustainable.

It also starts making up for nearly a decade of waste and missed opportunities.

The former Government made promises without ever thinking about how to deliver them, often not even talking to the state and territory government they would later rely on to partner with.

They promised car parks that could never be built, and also tripled the budget for Inland Rail and blew out the timetable.

They sidelined, ignored and then stacked the Infrastructure Australia Board with political appointments. 

And for years they pretended money was in the budget for zombie projects such as the East-West link in Melbourne and the Perth Freight Link.

We are putting sense back into infrastructure planning and delivery.

We are once again making Infrastructure Australia the premier body to advise Australian governments on our significant infrastructure gaps and opportunities.

And we are cleaning up the Coalition’s mess in the Inland Rail project, and bringing transparency and accountability back into this critical macroeconomic portfolio.

INFRASTRUCTURE IN AN UNCERTAIN GLOBAL ECONOMIC CLIMATE

Infrastructure is an important driver of economic growth, productivity and skills in the regions and cities, but the Government was left with an unsustainable pipeline of projects designed purely to look good on paper but never be built.

Our first budget takes an important step to make our infrastructure pipeline more sustainable and to ensure we don’t further strain a sector already facing labour constraints, inflationary pressures and cost increases due to supply chain challenges.

The decisions we have made will ensure the sector is in a strong position to help buffer any global headwinds, and create a sustainable pathway for building the skills needed into the future.

They will also contribute to repairing the budget after the Coalition left Australia with a trillion dollars of debt.

Infrastructure is critical to building the nation we all want.  Opportunity and connection come from good infrastructure. Making good decisions now is critical to making sure no one is held back and no one is left behind.

Comments attributable to Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese:

“Sound and planned infrastructure investment creates jobs, builds opportunity and unlocks economic growth and productivity.

“Resilient and reliable transport is the backbone of the nation.

“Electric buses will make a significant contribution as Western Australia and the nation progresses to net zero emissions.

“Through its first Budget, our Government is getting on with the job by working collaboratively with all levels of Government and in consultation with Infrastructure Australia to deliver projects that will make a real difference to the lives of all Australians.”

Comments attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“Good roads are the lifeblood of communities across WA – and improving safety and travel time is really important for local families and the economy.

“Our Government will upgrade key road corridors across the state, getting locals home more safely and more quickly.

“Our commitment to bus charging infrastructure recognises Western Australia's strong local manufacturing industry and position as a global leader in battery material.”