State Budget 2007-08: Decisions For Our Future - Mandurah

10/05/07
Making decisions for the future was the driving priority of the State Government's 2007-08 State Budget, Treasurer Eric Ripper said today.
"Western Australia has an economy that is the envy of the nation and we are making sure that we can continue to meet the challenges and opportunities of growth now and over the coming years," Mr Ripper said.
"That is why we have decided to invest a record $5.8billion on critical capital works over the next financial year and spend record levels on health, education, law and order, transport and climate change."
The Treasurer said ensuring Western Australians had the skills and knowledge to drive the State's economic prosperity into the future was a key priority for the Carpenter Government.
He said that was why the Government was committed to investing in education and training, highlighted locally with $7.3million to continue construction of the new South Halls Head Primary School (total project cost $8.8million).
An additional $214,854 would be spent on maintenance work at local schools under the Fixing Our Schools Maintenance Program, including:

• $30,601 for Falcon Primary School;
• $24,799 for Glencoe Primary School;
• $4,346 for Halls Head Community College;
• $6,170 for Halls Head Primary School;
• $927 for Ocean Road Primary School;
• $60,263 for Coodanup Community College;
• $55,018 for North Mandurah Primary School; and
• $32,730 for Dwellingup Primary School.

Mr Ripper said the State Government's decision to commit a record spend of $4billion towards health in this year's Budget would ensure Western Australia was on track to implement the Health Reform Committee's recommendations.
Locally, the following health projects have received funding allocations:

• $2.046 million to continue the expansion of the emergency department at the Peel Health Campus (total project cost $3million);
• $792,000 allocated to commence work on Stage Two of the Mandurah Community Health Centre (total project cost $3.2million); and
• $3.81 million to start construction of the Murray District Health Centre (total project cost $5.47million).

The Treasurer said the 2007-08 Budget included $813.8million for the Western Australia Police - a 6.5 per cent increase on 2006-07 - which included:

• the recruitment of 90 extra police officers;
• an additional $17.7 million to be spent on front line policing initiatives; and
• expanding operations of the Traffic Enforcement Group to major metropolitan arterial roads and regional roads to improve traffic safety.

Mr Ripper said that as part of the Government's $5.8 billion capital works program, the following local projects would be funded:

• $218.7million towards construction of the Perth-Bunbury Highway (total project cost $631million). Works include the construction of a new 70.5km dual carriageway from the southern end of the Kwinana Freeway to Lake Clifton on the Old Coast Road; and
• $9.11million for the Department of Fisheries to complete the Mandurah Marine Operations Centre (total project cost $9.41million).

The Treasurer said the 2007-08 Budget would invest heavily in targeting housing affordability, increased spending on child protection and ensuring the general State Government sector remained debt-free.
"The Carpenter Government's sound financial management means we have been able to offer households and businesses further tax relief, while at the same time, keeping increases in household fees and charges below inflation," he said.
"Our decisions for the future will mean that over the next four years, we will be able to deliver tax relief worth an estimated $2.1billion."
Mr Ripper said the biggest winners would be first homebuyers, who would see a doubling of the stamp duty exemption thresholds for home and vacant land purchases from $250,000 to $500,000 and $150,000 to $300,000, respectively.
"This will mean that first homebuyers buying a $500,000 property will reap a saving of $20,700,"he said.
"For the seventh consecutive year, there will be no increases in household electricity prices while the stamp duty rates on insurance will remain fixed.
"That means that in seven years, the Government has been able to reduce household fees and charges for a representative household by $413 or 10.8 per cent in real terms."
On top of freezing household electricity prices, $3.059billion would be spent over four years improving electricity infrastructure across the State.
The Government will also invest $59.3million in local water and wastewater infrastructure, including:

• $9.179million to continue upgrades at the Caddadup Wastewater Treatment Plant (total project cost $15.961million);
• $11.2million to continue upgrades at the Halls Head Wastewater Treatment Plant (total project cost $27.816million); and
• $15million to complete the Mandurah Wastewater Treatment Plant (total project cost $27.073million).

Other key local works to be funded include:

• $650,000 for the City of Mandurah for the construction of the Port Bouvard Surf Life Saving Club; and
• $23,835 for Mandurah Tennis Club to resurface tennis courts with synthetic turf.

Treasurer's office - 9222 9365