WA State Budget 2015: What it means for regional Western Australia

Treasurer Mike Nahan said the investment would provide essential services and infrastructure that would drive development in the regions, creating jobs and generating economic opportunities.

“The Government is determined to invest in regional economic, social and community development in order to capitalise on long-term growth opportunities,” Dr Nahan said.

Royalties for Regions will continue to support major development programs over the budget and forward estimates such as the State-wide Regional Blueprint Initiative ($362 million), Growing Our South ($521 million), Pilbara Cities ($757 million); and revitalisation plans for West and East Kimberley ($47 million), Goldfields-Esperance ($162 million), Mid-West ($141 million) and Gascoyne ($31 million).

Here's a look at all the highlights of the government's infrastructure spending in the regions.

The Gascoyne region will see a $12.2 million investment on upgrades and maintenance of power infrastructure in Carnarvon in 2015-16.

There will also be an $8.8 million investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in the region which will include $4.8 million on investigating new water sources and wastewater treatment in Exmouth.

The government has committed $6 million on coastal infrastructure in the Gascoyne region including an upgrade to the Exmouth Boat Harbour and money for the replacement of the Denham Recreational Jetty. 

The Carnarvon Health Campus Redevelopment and Exmouth Multipurpose Health Service Redevelopment while receive $4.8 million while there is also $2 million for Carnarvon Community College in the state budget. 

The Goldfields-Esperance Revitalisation has $162 million over four years to be allocated to projects in the Goldfields-Esperance region. These include:

Stage one of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School Redevelopment has been allocated $20 million from the State Government in the budget.

The Goldfields-Esperance region will also benefit from $9.4 million on upgrades and maintenance of power infrastructure in Esperance and $4.8 million on Port of Esperance infrastructure upgrade and maintenance.

Emergency services and water infrastructure upgrades are the main focuses of the state budget for the Great Southern region.

The Albany Career Fire and Rescue Service Fire Station will get $3.8 million in funding in the state budget.

Other infrastructure spending in the Great Southern region includes $13.6 million on wastewater treatment plant improvements and other water infrastructure upgrades and $11.3 million in Denmark to improve water quality and continuity of supply.

There will also be $5.3 million spent on upgrade and maintenance of power infrastructure in the Great Southern region. Torndirrup National Park will get $1.2 million to help upgrade its visitor facilities, while the Port of Albany will get  $1 million for upgrades and maintenance.

The government has also committed $0.9 million in 2015-16 to complete the new Great Southern Trade Training Centre at Katanning Senior High School.

Upgrades and maintenance to water and waste water infrastructure in the Kimberley will receive a boost in 2015-16 from the state budget with $18.6 million allocated, including $7.3 million to improve wastewater infrastructure in Derby.

The West Kimberley Transitional Housing Program will get  $13.5 million, while there will be $11.3 million spent on infrastructure and maintenance for the Kimberley Ports Authority and $9.2 million for upgrades and maintenance of power infrastructure in Broome and Kununurra.

The government will spend $7.7 million on the Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing Courthouses as well as $7.5 million on stage two of the redevelopment of Broome Residential College.

The Gibb River Road will receive a boost of $4.3 million on improvements to help maintain it while there will is also $4 million to complete the construction of the new Halls Creek and Kullari Trade Training Centres in the 2015-16 state budget.

The new Kimberley National Park will also receive $2.4 million in funding.

Upgrades to power and water infrastructure are the main focuses of the 2015 WA State Budget for the Mid West region.

Infrastructure spending in the Mid West region includes $12.8 million on maintenance and upgrades of water and wastewater infrastructure. Included in this is $5.5 million in Allanooka to boost water supply.

There will also be $12.6 million spent on the Murchison Radio Observatory Power Station, $3.6 million to connect the new power stations to the distribution networks in the Mid West towns and $3.3 million on upgrades and maintenance of power infrastructure in the region.

The Oakagee-Narngulu Infrastructure Corridor will get $10.3 million from the government while $7.8 million will be spent on maintenance by the Mid West Ports Authority, including $3.3 million on rehabilitation work to Berth 4.

Emergency services and health will also receive a boost with $4.4 million set to be spent on the Geraldton Career Fire and Rescue Service Fire Station and $2.5 million on the Geraldton Cancer Centre.

The Durack Institute of Technology Student Services Interactive Hub will get $2 million while the government will also spend a million on replacement and upgrades to public jetties at East Wallabi and Beacon Islands in the Mid West region.

Key highlights from the 2015 WA State Budget for the Peel region include improvements in education, policing and health.

Infrastructure spending in the Peel region includes $29.6 million for new schools including $21 million to finish stage two of Byford Secondary College and $4.8 million to begin construction of the new Lakelands Senior High School.

There will be a $10.7 million spend on water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades including $7 million in Mandurah to provide infill sewerage services.

Rounding out the key Peel region investments is a $3.9 million commitment to the Mundijong Police Station and a $1.4 million development of the Peel Health Campus.

Mandurah’s Crab Fest event will have ongoing support through the million Regional Events Program, $20 million upgrades through Parks for People and $21.05 million from the Caravan and Camping initiatives.

Peel will benefit from funding through the Southern Inland Health Initiative. Boddington Hospital has been allocated $1.9 million for refurbishment works while funding is also allocated to ensure the provision of General Practitioner services to the Boddington region over the next four years.

In the 2015 WA State Budget, the government has committed to spending $96.1 million on improvements and upgrades to the Ports of Ashburton, Dampier and Port Hedland.

There will be $33.1 million of maintenance and upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure and a $32 development of the Karratha Health Campus and Onslow Hospital.

The replacement of aging overhead electricity infrastructure with underground networks will cost the government $26.9 million while $20.9 million will be spent on upgrades and maintenance of power infrastructure in Karratha, Port Hedland and Onslow.

Another major project to be funded across the 2015-16 State Budget and forward estimates is the Pilbara Cities Initiative to the tune of $756.9 million. This initiative includes :

A number of key South West initiatives will be paid for by the 2015 WA State Budget.

$38.5 million has been pledged on the maintenance and upgrade of water and wastewater facilities including $6.7 million in Pemberton.

A $9.3 million spend will re-align the Busselton Highway to bypass the Vasse-Newton urban development while $13.5 million will be spend on the Busselton and Harvey Health Campuses.

The long-awaited funding for a South West rescue helicopter has been pledged to the tune of $6.9 million while $5 million will be spent on the Bunbury Career Fire and Rescue Service Fire Station.

The government will invest $4.6 million on the Bunbury mental health subacute unit and $5 million on upgrades and improvements at the Port of Bunbury.

The Ngari Capes Marine Park and recreational fishing pilot will receive $5.8 million from the Marine Parks Management fund while the South West Ageing in Place pilot will get $2 million.

A $5 million upgrade of power infrastructure has been pledged in the Margaret River region while a $3.6 million commitment has been made for the Wellington Dam turn-off to Collie on the Coalfields Highway.  

The Department of Parks and Wildlife’s Bunbury Headquarters building is being constructed and will allow the public to access information on exploring the region’s national and marine parks. An amount of $18 million has been allocated over three years from 2015-16 for this.

The Department of Parks and Wildlife has been allocated $20 million from 2015-16 to 2018-19 for the development and implementation of an enhanced prescribed burning program for land in the South West region of Western Australia.

In the Wheatbelt, the government will use the 2015 WA State Budget to upgrade power infrastructure.

More than $25 million will be spent on maintenance and upgrades to water and wasterwater infrastructure including new storage tank facilities in Cunderdin and Barbalin.

A pledge of $116.5 million has been made for stage two upgrades to Great Northern Highway between Muchea and Wubin, while $12 million will be spent on the hospitals and health care centres including Narrogin and Merredin Hospital and cancer services in both towns. 

The Avonlink Enhancement Project has been allocated $4.4 million to meet the costs associated with the enhancement of the Avonlink train service

Wheatbelt Renal Dialysis will receive $3.4 million commencing in 2015-16 to allow dialysis patients to receive treatment in their homes or communities. This complements the Renal Dialysis Service Expansion that has been allocated $6.3 million allocated across the budget period, including $2.4 million in 2015-16.

Along with the promises for each specific region, the 2015 WA State Budget promises money will be spent on services across all regional areas.

$8.1 million has been allocated to the St John Ambulance Service for regional locations along with $4 million for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Regional Men’s Health will benefit from $800,000 allocated to the Department of Food and Agriculture while $560 million has been pledged state wide for the Social Housing Investment Package to deliver 1000 new homes.

Further funding has been committed to the Country Age Pension Fuel Card Scheme as well as fuel cards for volunteer emergency service groups in regional WA.

A spend of $5.1 million will improve fire crew protection systems for vehicles that operate in high to extreme bushfire risk environments while $40 million will be spent to provide up to 85 new telecommunication towers.

An extra $107.9 million will be spent to attract and retain public sector workers in regional areas.

Promising regional athletes will continue to benefit from sport program funding while the community pool revitalisation program received a pledge of $9.9 million for regional areas.

$19.5 million has been committed to the Bunbury to Albany gas pipeline while $9.4 million has been allocated to the Regional Buy Local initiative.

The WA Indigenous Tourism Operators Committee will receive $4.6 million over the next four years to increase the number and availability of Aboriginal Tourism products.

Marine Park management will receive $9.8 million while a new Regional Tourism Marketing Campaign has been allocated $11 million.

Meanwhile, a road coach replacement program will receive funding of $15.1 million to purchase 23 airconditioned road coaches that are compliant with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992.