Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. It was a pleasure to be with her in her electorate for the opening of the Karratha Airport upgrade recently—a terrific infrastructure project undertaken by the local community to improve their connection with the rest of the country. That is one of many substantial infrastructure projects being undertaken in Western Australia at the present time. The Commonwealth is contributing substantially to that under our $50 billion infrastructure program. Indeed, we will be spending around $800 million in Western Australia this year alone, and we have about another $5½ billion commitment to Western Australia for infrastructure programs under the current agreements.

We are providing $925 million for the Perth Freight Link and $895 million for Northlink Western Australia. Then of course there is $675 million available also to complete the work on the Gateway Western Australia project.

We have added a further $500 million, almost, to address the specific circumstances of Western Australia's share of the GST revenue, and that will be money that can be invested in infrastructure projects in that state, and $116 million for the duplication—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

See this speech in context