Oakajee confirmed as preferred port site.

19/04/06
Premier Alan Carpenter has today confirmed Oakajee as the preferred site for a new privately funded deep-water port.
Mr Carpenter said the development of Oakajee, which was about 20km north of Geraldton, would support the expansion of iron ore mining in the Mid-West region.
The Premier said work completed by the Mid West Development Commission showed that a number of major resource development projects in the State's Mid-West could generate up to 60 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of iron ore for export by 2012.
"With the scale of iron ore mining proposals which are emerging in the Mid-West region, the expansion of Geraldton Port's export capacity beyond approximately 20Mpta would be unacceptable from both social and environmental perspectives," he said.
"The two ports will complement each other and both will come under the jurisdiction of the Geraldton Port Authority.
"Our next step will be to consider a report from the Government steering committee which will look at the design process, the timing of construction, and the operational management of the deep-water port at Oakajee.
"Most importantly, the report will consider the roles of Government and the private sector in the funding, development, regulatory access and management of the key port and rail infrastructure.
"We also want the port and rail infrastructure to be linked to the proposed Oakajee industrial estate, further boosting Geraldton's regional economy."
Mr Carpenter said the report would form the basis of a second submission to Cabinet.
The policy paper and Cabinet submission would be overseen by a special committee of relevant Ministers to ensure the project was managed and delivered in a timely manner.
Premier's office: 9222 9475