State Budget 2007- 08: Decisions For Our Future - Northern Suburbs 2

10/05/07
Making decisions for the future was the driving priority of the State Government's 2007-08 State Budget, Treasurer Eric Ripper said today.
"Western Australia has an economy that is the envy of the nation and we are making sure that we can continue to meet the challenges and opportunities of growth now and over the coming years," Mr Ripper said.
"That's why we have decided to invest a record $5.8billion on critical capital works over the next financial year and spend record levels on health, education, law and order, transport and climate change."
Mr Ripper said ensuring Western Australians had the skills and knowledge to drive the State's economic prosperity into the future was a key priority for the Carpenter Government.
He said that was why the Government was committed to investing in education and training, highlighted locally with:

• $11million to continue work on the new Landsdale High School (total project cost $30million);
• $7.3million to start work on the new Hocking Primary School (total project cost $8.8million;
• $2million to start improvement works on Wanneroo Senior High School (total project cost $6million);
• $1.95million to start work on the new Madeley Primary School (total project cost $10.8million);
• $1.5million to complete Stage Two of the Mindarie Senior College improvement works (total project cost $5.7million);
• $1.95million to start work on the new Somerly Primary School (total project cost $10.8million);
• $1million to complete work on the new Tapping Primary School (total project cost $8.2million);
• $1.12million to expand the wet trades training areas at West Coast TAFE, in Clarkson (total project cost $12.435million);
• $1.1million for improvement works at Padbury Senior High (total project cost $1.1million); and
• $1.1million for improvement works at Belridge Senior High School (total project cost $1.1million).

An additional $753,012 would be spent on maintenance work at local schools under the Fixing Our Schools Maintenance Program, including:

• $6,101 for Quinns Beach Primary School;
• $46,710 for Padbury Senior High School;
• $297,123 for Allenswood Primary School;
• $84,109 for Woodvale Senior High School;
• $120,325 for Belridge Senior High School;
• $16,998 for Poseidon Primary School;
• $1,778 for Penrith Place Pre-Primary School;
• $32,860 for Warriapendi Primary School;
• $31,905 for Kinross College;
• $3,109 for Mindarie Primary School; and
• $111,994 for Ocean Reef High School.

Mr Ripper said the State Government's decision to commit a record spend of $4billion towards health in this year's Budget would ensure Western Australia was on track to implement the Health Reform Committee's recommendations.
Locally, $15.7million would be spent to continue work on Stage One of the Joondalup Health Campus expansion, estimated to cost $122.67 million, while $5.5million would be spent on the expansion of the hospital's inpatient mental health unit, estimated to cost $8.65million.
The Treasurer said the 2007-08 Budget included $813.8million expenditure for the Western Australia Police - a 6.5 per cent increase on 2006-07 - which included:

• the recruitment of 90 extra police officers;
• an additional $17.7million to be spent on front line policing initiatives; and
• expanding operations of the Traffic Enforcement Group to major metropolitan arterial roads and regional roads to improve traffic safety.

Mr Ripper said that as part of the Government's $5.8billion capital works program, $71.5million would be spent continuing work on the extension of the Mitchell Freeway from Hodges Drive to Burns Beach Road.
Mr Ripper said that the 2007-08 Budget would invest heavily in targeting housing affordability, increased spending on child protection and ensuring the general State Government sector remained debt free.
"The Carpenter Government's sound financial management means we have been able to offer households and businesses further tax relief, while at the same time keeping increases in household fees and charges below inflation," the Treasurer said.
"Our decisions for the future will mean that over the next four years we will be able to deliver tax relief worth an estimated $2.1billion."
Mr Ripper said the biggest winners would be first homebuyers, who would see a doubling of the stamp duty exemption thresholds for home and vacant land purchases from $250,000 to $500,000 and $150,000 to $300,000, respectively.
"This will mean that first homebuyers buying a $500,000 property will reap a saving of $20,700," he said.
"For the seventh consecutive year there will be no increase in household electricity prices while the stamp duty rates on insurance will remain fixed.
"That means that in seven years, the Government has been able to reduce household fees and charges for a representative household by $413 or 10.8 per cent in real terms."
On top of freezing household electricity prices, $3.059billion would be spent over four years improving electricity infrastructure across the State, including the following improvements to the local electricity system:

• $19.953million to continue work on the new Neerabup terminal station (total project cost $38.022million);
• $2.124million to install a second transformer at the Clarkson substation (total project cost $2.124million);
• $44,000 towards establishing a new substation at Wangara (total project cost $8.252million);
• $208,000 to complete the installation of a second transformer at the new Padbury substation (total project cost $2.546million);
• $2.458million towards the installation of a third transformer at the new Padbury substation (total project cost $3.235million);
• $3.826million for various works at Warwick substation (total project cost $3.836million); and
• $4.47million to improve the reliability of the Mullaloo to Wanneroo transmission line (total project cost $9.174million).

The Government would also provide funding for local water and wastewater infrastructure; including:

• $9.5million for the Gnangara Mound Replenishment Trial (total project cost $39.39million);
• $3.638million for work on the Ellenbrook pumping station and pressure mains (total project cost $6.95million);
• $102.936million for work on the Alkimos Wastewater and Treatment Plant (total project cost $230.231million);
• $8.712million on the automation and centralisation of the Wanneroo water treatment plant (total project cost $8.72million);
• $14.7million for works along Pinjar Road in Banksia Grove (total project cost $14.7million);
• $6.783million to upgrade the Neerabup pumping station (total project cost $6.783million);
• $47.22million for the Quinns main sewer to Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant (total project cost $89.47million); and
• $18.63million to continue work on the Beenyup Wastewater Treatment Plant (total project cost $64.795million).

Other key local works to be funded include:

• $7.174million towards the construction of Verve Energy's new Pinjar gas turbine (total project cost $29.557million);
• $3.576million towards improvement works at Hillary's Boat Harbour, including refurbishing facilities and replacing boat pens (total project cost $7.327million);
• $288,000 for the maintenance of facilities at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park (total project cost $3.996million);
• $1million for the Pinnaroo Lake Development at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park (total project cost $3million); and
• $500,000 to continue the Koondoola Revitalisation Project (total project cost $1million).

Treasurer's office - 9222 9365