Western Australia is one of the powerhouses driving the economic strength of our nation.
This week was my 20th visit to WA since becoming Prime Minister. Federal Ministers are regular visitors and, of course, the Government is all the better because of the impressive array of MPs and senators from the West. Crucially, we have held three Cabinet meetings in WA, including one in the Pilbara.
In the two years since Labor was elected, the West – from Perth to the Pilbara – has been at the heart of our decision making because we know when WA succeeds, the nation succeeds.
Success, of course, is never a foregone conclusion. There are challenges to overcome, and that’s where government has a pivotal role to play.
Right now, families are struggling with cost-of-living pressures. That’s why from July 1, every West Australian taxpayer will get a tax cut. Indeed, eight out of 10 WA taxpayers will get a bigger tax cut than they would have under the Morrison Government’s old plan.
We are resolute in our commitment to making sure WA gets its fair share of the GST.
We also want to see a future made in WA, with secure, well paid jobs. That’s why I was in Perth again this week to share two important announcements.
In next Tuesday’s Budget, we will allocate $566.1 million to deliver a new era of mineral exploration – because as our Resources Minister Madeleine King puts it, the road to net zero runs through WA’s resources.
We know that making more solar panels, batteries and clean energy technology means exploring and extracting more lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, critical minerals and rare earths. These are the ingredients of the next big minerals boom and my Government is working to make it easier to find more and meet the world’s appetite for them.
Likewise, the West’s gas and iron ore helps build our nation’s wealth, while also powering Asia’s growth. And as our economy transitions and evolves, gas has an important role in firming and energy security.
As it has grown and adapted, the resources industry has invested in the regional communities that support it. It is creating local jobs, upgrading local infrastructure and working with traditional owners to create economic opportunity in remote communities.
All this should give us confidence for the future.
By investing significantly in geoscience, we build on our strengths and our natural advantages. We take Australia closer to our rightful future as a clean energy superpower – a future that WA is vital to.
We also know how important WA is to our future trade prosperity.
That’s why our Budget will deliver $33.5 million towards planning works to support the development of Westport.
Our investment will match the Cook Government’s contribution, taking the total investment for this planning phase to $67 million.
The Westport project is the linchpin for future trade growth in WA. It includes planning a new port and the connected road, rail and logistics operations to move container trade from Fremantle to Kwinana.
This is a project that builds on what we are already delivering in WA, including METRONET, the Tonkin Highway corridor, and the Outback Way.
We will continue to work with the Cook Government to deliver major infrastructure projects that support local jobs and businesses, while also investing in the projects that are the building blocks of our better future.
The sun might rise in the east, but so many of Australia’s hopes are set in the West.
This opinion piece was first published in the West Australian on Friday, 10 May 2024.