Long-term plan to end ad hoc building

The Pilbara has lacked long term planning and vision in the past, according to State Opposition Leader Mark McGowan.

Mr McGowan said Labor’s 20-year State Infrastructure Strategy, announced last week, would also put an end to “ad hoc” building in communities and would focus on significant, multi-million dollar projects.

“In the Pilbara I think that would be well received because of course that long-term vision has been lacking in the past,” he said.

Mr McGowan said the plan would be developed in government and in the Pilbara would look specifically at electricity, road and public requirements.

He said a North West power grid would be looked at, as well as long-term planning for port needs and said some roads in the North West were in a “diabolical” state.

The plan is also a means of managing the demands of a “boom economy” and Mr McGowan warned the benefits of the “once-in-a-generation” boom would be squandered if infrastructure did not keep up with population growth. “It is time WA follows the lead of the new New South Wales government and Queensland and adopts a whole-of-State, longterm plan to ensure industry needs and community infrastructure are co-ordinated in an ordered and timely way,” he said.

“WA needs to plan for its growth to give businesses the certainty they need when making investment decisions.

“Importantly, we must ensure that the benefits of the boom are enjoyed by all Western Australians.”