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

I acknowledge the federal government's announcement last week of an additional $499.1 million in funding in the budget to my home state of Western Australia for road infrastructure projects. In particular, 42 per cent of this funding, amounting to $209.1 million, was allocated within my electorate of Moore for the six-kilometre extension of the Mitchell Freeway from Burns Beach Road to Hester Avenue and associated infrastructure. Most notably, the freeway exit at Neerabup Road and the related extension eastwards from Connolly Drive to Wanneroo Road are designed to provide a direct transportation link to the Neerabup Industrial Area via Flynn Drive, acting as a catalyst for the development of the 1,000-hectare industrial area. When fully developed the Neerabup Industrial area is forecast to create 20,000 new direct jobs, adding $7.9 billion to gross state product and generating a further 24,000 jobs off site for a total economic impact of $13.3 billion.

This investment by the federal government represents a significant economic development initiative for my electorate, boosting business confidence and providing greater local employment self-sufficiency to cater for the rapid residential growth in the northern coastal corridor.