What has Mark McGowan got planned for next four years?

Jobs, jobs and jobs… with a new target of delivering 125,000 more in our state over the next five years and a modest $3.1 billion in election promises.

One of the biggest promises is a $361 million dollar mental health package and one that may affect and inconvenience our transport industry is the $79 million which will go towards combating methamphetamine use. Mr McGowan alluded to an ongoing and increased police presence at the WA border to prevent drug importation during the election campaign.

Western Australia's Police Commissioner wants new legislation to give officers greater powers to stop and search vehicles at the state's border.

The Commissioner said drug trafficking into WA had fallen due to COVID-19 border controls.

Commissioner Chris Dawson said he would like to see police retain greater powers at the state's border checkpoints, because one of the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic was that crime had halved. "With the very vigorous border control, it's actually stopped a lot of drug trafficking," he said.

Mr Dawson said in the past six months WA Police had seized nine trucks, nearly $50 million in cash and "a whole stack of meth".

New police stations will be built in Baldivis and Forrestfield, while 36 new career firefighters and 18 professional paramedics will be recruited and sent to regional WA.

A provision of $218 million will be made to provide more than 1,000 standalone power systems in regional WA, reducing reliance on diesel.

WA’s electric vehicle network will expand with $21 million plus a new e-waste recycling plant to support a ban on e-waste in landfill by 2024.

Attracting new investments in WA projects, particularly local manufacturing and new technologies will receive $100 million boost plus the coal mining town of Collie will receive an extra $20 million to help diversify the local industry and create new local jobs.

The state’s road and rail networks will continue on the government's first-term promises including Metronet.

However, major upgrades to the Tonkin Highway and a further extension of the Mitchell Freeway, as well as a $852 million freeway bypass of Bunbury, are set to get underway WA Labor’s second term.

One big question is will WA Labor reattempt to pass legislation seeking to prevent the future construction of the controversial Perth Freight Link project, a bill blocked by the Liberals and the crossbench in 2019.

Member for North West Central, Vince Catania said the recent announcement that Hastings rare earth mine located 250 km north-east of Carnarvon and around 150km northeast of Gascoyne Junction, is one step closer with production earmarked for 2023.

“This is a golden opportunity for Carnarvon and Gascoyne Junction to not only support the Hastings operation, but grow and develop and further strengthen the prosperity of our towns and region”.

“With the prospect of 250 permanent jobs being created we need to ensure our Gascoyne region capitalises on this opportunity, catering for a residential workforce based in both Carnarvon and Gascoyne Junction - not FIFO roles from Perth”.

“In terms of regional growth and development, the potential to support the Hastings project with infrastructure in both Gascoyne Junction and Carnarvon, the regional centre is not only a game changer but is critical,” said Vince

Gascoyne Junction Shire CEO, John McCleary said “this is an enormous opportunity for our town and the region, and one the State just can’t afford to miss, providing a platform for both Gascoyne Junction and Carnarvon to take a quantum leap in terms of the development and growth of our towns and the region”.

“I will be calling on the Government to acknowledge the significance of this opportunity for the region and the State, to work with Gascoyne Junction and Carnarvon to ensure this opportunity is not missed and is woven into the Government’s Plan for North West Central and our State. Vince Catania said.