Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Local employment self-sufficiency is one of the most important issues in my suburban electorate of Moore. The majority of the working population is faced with commuting long distances to work each day on congested roads, at considerable expense and loss of productivity.

Within the electorate is a 1,000-hectare site known as the Neerabup Industrial Area which represents the second-largest industrial complex in the Perth metropolitan area, second only to the Kwinana Industrial Area. When fully developed, the site is expected to create 20,000 new jobs, add $7.9 billion to the gross state product and generate a further 24,000 jobs off-site, for a total economic impact of $13.3 billion.

This area has the potential to meet the local employment needs for the steadily-growing populations within the cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup for many years to come. I make mention of City of Wanneroo mayor, Tracey Roberts, who has been a strong advocate for economic development within the city, along with the local Wanneroo Business Association and the Joondalup Business Association. Although there has been some significant investment since 2008, including the $436 million NewGen gas-fired power station and the $110 million Wesbeam manufacturing plant, development in the Neerabup Industrial Area has been delayed due to a bureaucratic environmental approvals process and the need to provide infrastructure, such as road access, scheme water and telecommunications.

Extension of the Mitchell Freeway to Hester Avenue and construction of the Neerabup Road to Flynn Drive are to be funded by the state government at a cost of $315 million. The Neaves Road upgrade to connect the Perth-Darwin highway is being investigated by the WA planning commission as part of its Economic and Employment Land Strategy. In addition, the state government is investigating a north-south route, linking with the Swan Valley bypass, just south of Gnangara Road.

The City of Wanneroo recently approved a tender for the construction of a new section of Flynn Drive to align and link with the Neerabup Road connection to the future Mitchell Freeway extension, due to be constructed in 2016-17. This project is being funded by the City of Wanneroo at a cost of approximately $5 million. However, a 1.35 kilometres stretch of Flynn Drive to the east of the new section also requires upgrading. This is critical for improving traffic movement within the industrial area and facilitating 50,000 visitors during the Perth round of the V8 Supercars held at the Barbagallo Raceway to the north. The City of Wanneroo seeks federal funding to complete the second stage of upgrade of Flynn Drive at a cost of $4.7 million, to allow for intersection improvements, new street lighting, swale drainage and service relocations.

An application was lodged by the Western Australian land authority—LandCorp—under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in June 2012 and determined a controlled action on 10 July 2012, due to potential impacts on listed threatened species, namely, the Carnaby's Black Cockatoo and the Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. The clearing of up to 202 hectares of bushland is required to enable construction. On 11 October 2012, the delegate of the minister determined that the proposed action would be assessed through preliminary documentation and requested further information, including how the proponent proposed to mitigate impacts prior to and during construction, and the proposed offsets.

In summary, timely development of the Neerabup Industrial Area is a priority in the Moore electorate. This will only be achieved through an efficient approvals process, with less bureaucracy and less green and red tape. Additional infrastructure funding is urgently required to upgrade road access. This industrial development represents the most significant economic development project in the electorate, and will assist in achieving the goal of a higher level of local employment self-sufficiency.