Regional WA to benefit strongly from State Budget

3/5/98

Regional Western Australia will benefit strongly from this year's State Budget, according to Regional Development Minister Hendy Cowan.

Mr Cowan said an extra $5 million in new funding had been targeted at major regional community infrastructure projects in 1998-99 with the same amount earmarked for each of the following three years.

The money would be channelled through regional development commissions which had been instrumental in the projects being identified and progressed to date.

Examples of projects to benefit from the new $20 million pool of funding include:

+ the Batavia Coast Marina redevelopment in Geraldton;

+ the Geraldton Regional Museum;

+ an Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre in Carnarvon;

+ establishment of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Intermodal Freight Facility;

+ planning work associated with the Mungari Heavy Industry Estate near Kalgoorlie;

+ initiating the Albany Harbours tourism infrastructure plan, with the aim of building upon historic links and natural attractions;

+ construction of Stage One of the Mandurah Ocean Marina;

+ the WA Rail Heritage Centre at Pinjarra;

+ design and construction of the Karijini Interpretive Centre; and -

+ the Bunbury Back-Beach Project.

An amount of $800,000 has been earmarked for new Community Resource Centres in the Wheatbelt, Kimberley and Great Southern regions. These centres will feature upgraded community resource facilities and commmunications infrastructure and will promote co-location of Government regional and local economic development services.

Mr Cowan said that regional priorities also featured strongly in the budget plans of all major Government agencies with significant new spending throughout the State.

He said a detailed analysis of Budget allocations in each of WA's nine regions had been prepared by the Department of Commerce and Trade.

"These outline upgrading of health and education facilities and equipment throughout the State and important new infrastructure investment by agencies such as Main Roads and the Water Corporation," the Minister said.

In addition, the Department of Commerce and Trade will undertake major regional development initiatives, including:

+ the $10 million, two-year, Communications Pipeline initiative to enable the newly established Office of Information and Communications to help upgrade the State's telecommunications infrastructure with an emphasis on regional needs and $1.6 million to help expand WA's Telecentre network;

+ up to $5 million to help regional industries gain access to electricity, gas, water and sewerage connections and additional funding to attract city-based industry to relocate to the regions;

+ more than $2 million for programs to generate business opportunities and stimulate and support Aboriginal enterprise development, including $500,000 for five regionally based Aboriginal Economic Development officer positions; and -

+ $450,000 over two years to raise awareness of science and technology in the regions.

"The department will also continue to support successful programs such as Project Mainstreet and Small Town Economic Planning and fund regional export promotion and investment attraction activities," Mr Cowan said.

Mr Cowan said the regional budget summaries were available from Regional Development Commissions and Commerce and Trade or could be accessed on the Internet at www.wa.gov.au/commerce/budget98.

Media contact: Peter Jackson 08 9222 9595