Federal Labor has committed to investing $700 million towards the Morely-Ellenbrook line in Perth’s north-east, as part of the $1.6 billion GST top-up that Opposition Leader Bill Shorten promised Western Australia earlier this year.
The $700 million for the new rail link would be provided by Labor in its first budget and allocated over two years (2019 and 2020) if it wins the next national election.
Plans for the construction of a rail line between Morley and Ellenbrook have repeatedly been placed on the backburner. The current McGowan government has so far only allocated $20 million for the project so far, in its recent 2017-18 budget, for detailed planning and design work.
State transport minister Rita Saffioti blamed the lack of action on the previous state Coalition government.
“After years of broken promises and inaction by the previous Liberal National Government, we have had to start from scratch on this project,” Saffioti said.
While making the funding promise, Shorten took aim at the federal Coalition, saying it lacked any solutions for infrastructure in WA.
“While Turnbull loves taking selfies while riding on trains, only Labor will actually invest in our nation’s railway system,” Shorten said.
“WA needs its fair share of funding — and that’s what Labor will deliver.”
WA premier Mark McGowan welcomed federal Labor’s commitment, and said that a completed Ellenbrook line would help meet the rising demand for public transport from Perth’s rapidly growing north-eastern suburbs, and help reduce road congestion.
“This is the first time the state government has received a funding commitment from a federal government or federal opposition towards the train line to Ellenbrook,” McGowan said.
“I welcome Bill Shorten’s commitment and look forward to building the rail line to Ellenbrook.”
McGowan then put the ball in Turnbull’s court, asking him to “match or better this commitment to the Morley-Ellenbrook line” made by the federal opposition.
Federal urban infrastructure minister Paul Fletcher dismissed Labor’s $700 million funding promise, saying it had “no substance behind the (infrastructure) commitment and no real money to back it up”.
The state government has estimated that the total cost of the line will be approximately $863 million. It expects construction to begin 2019 and be complete by 2022.