$1.5 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE STIMULUS TO DRIVE RECOVERY IN CANNING

Major Upgrade to Thomas Road Funded

A new $1.5 billion Australian Government infrastructure package will provide an injection into the economy and bring jobs back online to help stem the impact of COVID-19.

Federal Member for Canning Andrew Hastie said getting shovels in the ground on local construction projects was important for maintaining jobs and economic growth in the Peel region.

“Every single job that we support makes a huge difference in local communities – now and as we navigate out of the pandemic,” Mr Hastie said.

“Of the projects benefitting WA, the most significant for our region is a major upgrade to Thomas Road, between Nicholson Rd and the Kwinana Freeway.”

“An additional kilometre of Thomas Road will be duplicated near the Kwinana Freeway, along with the construction of a new roundabout. The remaining single carriageway of this section of road will also be upgraded.”

“These new upgrades will cost $8 million; the cost being shared 50:50 by the state and federal governments.”

“All this is in addition to the upgrade we committed to last year at the Nicholson Road intersection, which is also half funded by the federal government.”

“Around 19,000 vehicles travel along Thomas Road every day, including a lot of heavy freight. Anyone who has travelled along this stretch of road knows how dangerous it can be – accidents happen far too frequently.

So this upgrade is a very welcome development for our community.

“Infrastructure projects like this crucial for helping us bounce back after the COVID-19 crisis has ended."

“Construction is expected to begin late 2020 and be completed by late 2021. It will support around 125 direct and indirect jobs during construction.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the new package would fund shovel-ready infrastructure projects that can support local jobs immediately.

“This funding will deliver critical infrastructure projects right across the country to help keep construction businesses running and people in jobs,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“$1 billion of this package will fund projects that can get underway now and over the next six months, to give an immediate boost to the economy and local jobs – right at the time we need it.

“We will work together with the states and territories to deliver these job-creating priority projects, building on our unprecedented cooperation to date through the National Cabinet of States and Territories.”

“The package also includes a $500 million Targeted Road Safety Works initiative for states and territories to deliver smaller but critical projects to improve road safety and bolster the resilience of our local road networks.

“The Government has already announced $500 million for local governments to support projects such as road safety improvements, maintaining community infrastructure and increasing accessibility.

“This is part of our $100 billion, 10-year infrastructure pipeline, which is laying the foundations of a financial bridge to recovery on the other side of the COVID-19 crisis.”

Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the $1.5 billion package, combined with the additional funding to local governments, is expected to support up to 12,000 direct and indirect jobs by creating new local opportunities and securing existing positions.

“This package will support thousands of jobs across our national construction sector, which we know is facing many challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,” Mr Tudge said.

“This includes local governments as well, who will receive funding to deliver targeted projects in their area.

“We will continue to work across governments and in partnership with industry to ensure the safety of all Australians while they deliver our pipeline of critical infrastructure projects.”

 The Morrison Government has increased its investment in the Tonkin Highway upgrade to $929 million, including $404 million to extend the Highway south past Mundijong Road and connect it to the South Western Highway.

Member for Canning Andrew Hastie joined the Prime Minister on Thursday to make the announcement, saying the money was further evidence of the Coalition’s commitment to SJ and the Peel region.

“This announcement builds on the commitment made 12 months ago by the Coalition, when we delivered $581 million to upgrade and extend the Tonkin Highway,” Mr Hastie said. “Back then WA Labor agreed to a 50/50 funding arrangement, but for 12 months they did nothing.”

“I know how important this project is to the growth and safety of our region, so I went back to Canberra and took the case up again. This additional funding brings the Morrison Government’s contribution to the project to a ratio of 80/20.”

“This money is in the budget. It’s not tied to the outcome of the election – it is there and ready to go. I call on WA Labor once again to use this money and start building.

“I’ve spoken to countless people around Byford and SJ about this issue over the past three years – almost everyone wants the Tonkin Highway extended. I am determined to make it happen.”

The funding will also be used to upgrade the section of Tonkin Highway between the Great Eastern Highway and Collier Road, and to construct grade separations at the Kelvin, Welshpool and Hale Road intersections.

The funding comes as part of the Morrison Government’s additional $1.6 billion investment announced this week for critical infrastructure across Perth and regional Western Australia.

It builds upon the existing $9.81 billion worth of commitments to West Australian road and rail infrastructure.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this year’s Budget would lock in further federal support for crucial infrastructure projects across regional WA.

“The upcoming Budget will continue the Liberal Nationals Government’s firm commitment to ensuring Western Australia gets its fair share of infrastructure funding now and into the future,” the Prime Minister said.

“We are prioritising investment in the major projects needed to better support regional areas, ease congestion in and around Perth and reduce the terrible impact of road trauma by delivering safer roads.”

Mr Hastie also noted that WA Labor have since committed to funding the Tonkin Highway extension, should they win government at the upcoming election. He explained that this was a meaningless announcement which duplicated already allocated funds.

“Federal Labor said they will fund the Tonkin Highway should they win the election. It’s a very deceptive announcement – this money is already in the Commonwealth budget. They're too late to the party.  Labor should have been working with us 12 months ago when the Coalition delivered its first investment, not waiting for an election to come.”

The Morrison Government has listened to the people of Serpentine Jarrahdale and invested $10 million to fix one of WA’s most dangerous intersections.

The intersection of Thomas Road and Nicholson Road was the site of more than 57 accidents between 2011 and 2016. It has been flagged by RAC as one of top ten most dangerous intersections in WA for several years.

Last year locals approached Andrew Hastie about the intersection and said they were concerned the state and local governments weren’t doing enough to address the issue, so he took the case up in Canberra.

“Last year I met with the Deputy Prime Minister in his role as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development to talk about Thomas Road. He was shocked at the number of accidents happening at the Thomas-Nicholson Road intersection and promised to look into funding options.”

“This funding will be used to upgrade the intersection, making it safer and saving lives.”

“It’s committed in the budget and doesn’t depend on the election – this upgrade will happen.”

“The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale’s population has more than doubled since 2006, from 12,000 to 26,000. It's expected to reach over 32,000 people this year. In Byford more than 4,000 new homes were built between 2006 and 2016. We have high-density housing where dairy farms once stood and we have high-frequency traffic on country roads. This intersection was badly impacted by that increased traffic.”

“This is just the start. There are other intersections along Thomas Road that need upgrading and I will be working hard to make it happen.”

There are unique circumstances about the site which make it an expensive intersection to upgrade. The Federal Government will now with Main Roads WA to facilitate the upgrade.

The funding comes as part of the Morrison Government’s additional $1.6 billion investment announced this week for critical infrastructure across Perth and regional Western Australia.

Today the Prime Minister joined me in Mandurah to announce $824 million of federal funding to build three vital infrastructure projects for Canning. This is a major investment into our region.

This is the culmination of many years of effort. We will extend and upgrade the Tonkin Highway, build Lakelands Train Station and give Byford locals access to rail.  

These projects will transform the Peel Region in the best possible way. Thank you for signing my petitions, voicing your concerns, and telling your stories. Time and again, you have strengthened the case I've made in Canberra.

Over half a billion dollars will improve and extend the Tonkin Highway southward into the heart of the Peel region. This will put Peel on the map, bringing more jobs and streamlining access to Canning. I’m happy to announce the hard work has paid off.

The Tonkin Highway and Thomas Road intersection has become a severe bottleneck and safety hazard, causing heavy congestion to spill out onto many adjoining local roads. This chokes industrial growth and puts lives at risk. The new extension will connect Tonkin to the South Western Highway, south of Mundijong Road. It will enable free flowing traffic, and improve the safety of many local roads in SJ. 

If you’re a FIFO worker an area like Pinjarra, North Dandalup or Greenfields, shorter commutes will mean more time at home with loved ones. The Tonkin Highway Extension will give you a direct route to the airport.

John Mitchell, owner and operator of Mitchell’s Livestock Transport, moves over 500,000 cattle across 1,500 pick-up and delivery locations across Australia. Instead of using a patchwork of main streets and country roads that are unsuitable for heavy haulage, John will soon have access to a newly created North-South corridor.

This is also great news for businessmen like Ron Bell, too. Ron built his business, Bells Engines, from scratch into a big operation with a global market. Although he’d like to expand while remaining local, a growing number of hurdles have forced him to consider leaving the Peel region.  

The new Tonkin Highway extension is exactly what Ron and John need: better road access that will support their businesses.

A further $241 million will extend the Armadale line to Byford. This is big news. Byford is the fastest growing local government area in Australia. If you live locally, the train will provide easy access to employment in Perth and beyond.

Serpentine-Jarrahdale has undergone serious change over the past 10 years. I acknowledge the anxiety some feel about how the train line may impact our region. I’ll be following the project closely, to ensure the local community isn’t left behind.

This morning the Prime Minister confirmed funding that will get the ball rolling on the Lakelands Train Station. Lakelands residents have been waiting over a decade for this to happen. In that time, the Lakelands population has tripled. $2 million has been allocated to develop the business case, and further funding has been set aside for the station's construction.

We've fought hard for this infrastructure funding. This is a game changer for our region - thank you for your support.

Residents of Canning have received a major boost to road safety, with the Coalition Government set to invest over $1,270,000 to upgrade problem roads under the 2018-19 Black Spot Program.

The money will be spent to upgrade roads in Roleystone, Serpentine and Pinjarra.

Road upgrades

Karnup Road, Serpentine, between Walker and Hopeland Road. Upgrades will include the widening and sealing of shoulders; the installation of edge lines, signs and delineation; and the removal of roadside hazards and obstructions.

Kingsbury Drive, Serpentine, between the South Western Highway and Mayara Road. Development will include the sealing of shoulders to 1m, the removal of hazards, and the installation of audible edge lines, guideposts and signs.

Croyden Road, Roleystone, between Brookton Highway and the Gardiner Road and Redtail Lane intersection. This will include the widening and sealing of shoulders, the installation of edge lines, signs and delineation, and the removal of roadside hazards and obstructions.

Pinjarra Road, Pinjarra. Installation of a roundabout on the intersection of Murray Street and Pinjarra Road.   

Andrew Hastie said improving transport infrastructure was one of his key priorities.

“In many parts of Canning road maintenance and development has not kept up with the rise in population.

"I know many people are concerned about the quality of local roads frequently used by heavy transport. These upgrades will help handle the increased traffic and improve road safety.

“None of these projects would be delivered without the community’s vital input, and I’d encourage all residents and motorists in the region to nominate projects for future funding rounds.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Michael McCormack said reducing fatalities and serious injuries on our roads was a key focus of his role as infrastructure minister.

“Accidents on our roads cost Australian’s approximately $30 billion per year – let alone the pain borne by families and friends who have lost loved ones,” Mr McCormack said.

“On average, Black Spot projects reduce the number of crashes causing death and injury by 30 per cent, making it one of the most effective road safety measures the Australian Government has at its disposal.

“The Coalition Government has extended the Black Spot Program and is providing $60 million per year from 2021-22 onwards, building on the current $684.5 million investment from 2013-14 to 2020-21.

For more information, or to make a nomination, visit http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/funding/blackspots/

Today I made the case in Parliament for the extension of the Tonkin Highway to Lakes Road.

Extending the Tonkin makes sense for so many reasons. I explained to the House how the highway's current terminus is choking the Peel Region's roads, and holding back our local economy.

Extending the Highway will make our communities safer and more prosperous. You can read or watch my speech to parliament below. 

I rise today to further advocate for the extension of the Tonkin Highway in my electorate of Canning. The Tonkin Highway was first laid in 1980 and since then has been extended both north and south. In 2005 its southern extension was complete, terminating the highway at Thomas Road in the shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale.

Since that time the population of the shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale has more than doubled. With many more motorists on the road, the Tonkin Highway/Thomas Road intersection has become a severe bottleneck, causing heavy congestion to spill out onto many adjoining local roads. It forces existing heavy haulage trucks onto local roads networks, impacting their safety and capacity. And with its terminus at the northern end of the shire boundary, the Tonkin Highway in its current form is restricting industrial growth and the development of the local economy.

No-one understands this issue better than John Mitchell, owner and operator of Mitchell's Livestock Transport. In any given year, Mitchell's is responsible for moving over 500,000 cattle across 1,500 pick-up and delivery locations across Australia. With his business based out of Waroona in the southern end of Canning, John has an intimate knowledge of the road network in the Peel region and beyond and how it could be improved.

At present, any of John's trucks driving through Perth from the Great Southern and beyond have to use one of the following east-west links to get to the freeway and out to Kwinana: South West Highway and Armadale Road, Thomas Road, Mundijong Road, Karnup Road, Lakes Road, Pinjarra Road and Greenlands Road. Most of these links are main streets and country roads running through the Peel region. They are unsuitable for heavy transport like John's, because the roads are either already heavily congested, are dangerous to navigate by virtue of their topography or act as the main streets in local communities.

And even if they do use these roads, the trucks still need a north-south corridor. The only current options are the Kwinana and Mitchell freeways, but these are even more heavily congested. In fact, yesterday Infrastructure Australia released its national report noting that congestion on the freeways will increasingly result in nationally significant losses to productivity.

There is an obvious solution. Extending the Tonkin Highway from Thomas Road down to Lakes Road would solve a number of these problems.

First and foremost, it would allow heavy haulage to travel along an interior pathway, reducing the number of big trucks on the freeways.

It would strengthen north-south and east-west links in Perth and Western Australia as well as provide an opportunity to create better transport routes between the east and west coasts of Australia.

It would cut down the number of trucks currently passing along local roads and through communities, such as the Byford CBD, which is rapidly growing.

It would improve heavy haulage access and also provide a significant boost to the local economy.

The Tonkin Highway extension would create the right conditions for industrial growth in places like the West Mundijong industrial park. The Tonkin Highway extension is vital for the long-term future of Serpentine Jarrahdale and indeed the whole Peel region. We need to prioritise this project as one that will encourage local development and growth.

Member for Canning Andrew Hastie has used one of his first speeches before parliament in 2018 to call again for the extension of the Tonkin Highway south of Thomas Road.

Mr Hastie told a full sitting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday that the Highway’s expansion was key to local jobs and economic development in the Peel Region.

“The residents of Serpentine Jarrahdale –the fastest growing local government in the country­– have been waiting more than 20 years for the Tonkin Highway to be built past Thomas Road.”

“They are still waiting.”

“Extending the Tonkin Highway will boost the local economy, stimulating industry in Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the centre of the Peel Region. This will create countless local jobs, particularly for young people looking to get into a trade.”

“We need to get this road built soon.”

Mr Hastie’s speech is the latest of more than two years campaigning for the project and comes off the back of a visit in December from federal Minister for Finance, Senator Mathias Cormann.

Minister Cormann said that the federal government understood that extending the Highway was an important step in unlocking the Peel Region’s potential.

“The Turnbull Government recognises that extending the Tonkin Highway south is an essential step in unlocking the Peel region’s economic potential,” Minister Cormann said.

Mr Hastie called on the state and federal governments to work together to get the job completed.

“Locals want it, and the federal government understands the need. I urge Premier McGowan to work with us for the good of Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the greater Peel Region.”

A transcript of Andrew's speech can be found here

Finance Minister today met with Member for Canning Andrew Hastie MP and executives from the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale to talk about the Tonkin Highway extension project.

With the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale recognised by the 2016 Census as the fastest-growing local government area in Australia, Andrew Hastie MP said it was time to get the project off the ground.

“The purpose of today’s meeting was to give the Finance Minister an opportunity to view the project on the ground, rather than just on paper.

“It was a very positive meeting. The Minister understands that extending the Tonkin Highway south to Mundijong Road is critical to sustainable population growth in Serpentine-Jarrahdale,” said Mr Hastie.

“There is wide community support for this project, and all five local governments in the Peel region have identified it as a priority.

“The next step for us is to harness that community support, and encourage the State Government to put the Tonkin Highway extension at the top of their to-do list. The McGowan Government needs to make this a priority,” said the Member for Canning.

I encourage all local residents who support extending the Tonkin Highway to email my office over the Christmas break, so I can take your feedback directly to decision makers,” said Andrew Hastie.