Federal and Western Australian Governments announce new funds for Perth City Deal

The multi-billion dollar Perth City Deal, which plans to bring the centrepiece inner city campus of Edith Cowan University (ECU) to life while also delivering a new bridge across the Swan River, has been boosted by the Federal and Western Australian Governments announcing new funding.

The two tiers of government are to provide an additional $49 million for the ECU campus while University has added $60 million, taking the value of the landmark project to $853 million - with the Federal Government investing a total of $294 million, the Western Australian Government $199 million, and ECU $360 million.

The major construction contract for the new ECU campus has also been awarded to Western Australian builders Multiplex; while a consortium made up of companies Civmec Construction and Engineering Pty Ltd, Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd and WSP Australia Pty Ltd, will construct the bridge.

The Swan River Bridge is being jointly funded by the Federal and Western Australian Governments on a 50:50 basis, with each providing an additional $25 million to the project, bringing the total $100 million.

The new funding announcements, revealed last week, take the total value of the City Deal to $1.69 billion.

The additional City Deal funding is required to address the current challenging construction environment and labour market, allow design improvements, and enable more manufacturing work to be undertaken locally.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Perth City Deal was already helping to transform the city, stating “the Perth City Deal was a long term partnership between all three levels of governments and the private sector to bring more jobs, more investment to WA that will create a stronger economy and a stronger future for Perth.

“ECU project is a key to the Perth City Deal that would inject 7,500 construction jobs and 2,300 ongoing jobs into the city.

“The new ECU campus will not only reinvigorate Perth’s city centre, but it will redefine Western Australia’s higher education offering by bringing together more than 10,000 students plus staff generating tourism, filling up bars, restaurants and hotels and bringing more people to local shops and businesses.

“The new Swan River Bridge, which will be built and manufactured locally in Western Australia by Western Australian workers, will become an iconic part of the Perth skyline across the river, providing better transport connects to and from the CBD.”

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan said these job-creating projects were part of the extensive investment his government was making in infrastructure and transport for the future.

Premier McGowan advised “this is a once-in-a-lifetime transformation of our city centre, attracting thousands of people into the heart of the city during the day and night, creating activity and vibrancy throughout our CBD

“We believe ECU will attract investment in Perth, boost the visitor economy, provide benefits for CBD businesses and further cement Perth’s reputation as a great place to live, work and visit.”

As well as the new ECU campus and Swan River Bridge, the $1.69 billion Perth City Deal includes:

• Investment in Curtin University’s Historical Heart Cluster, including the expansion of the Graduate School of Business and Law School and the creation of a healthcare and clinical training facility.

• Investment in Perth’s cultural attractions, including the Perth Cultural Centre rejuvenation, the Perth Concert Hall Redevelopment and the WACA redevelopment and public swimming pool. These investments will create vibrant, safe and attractive offerings delivering improved liveability, cultural and tourism outcomes for the city.

• Investment towards the celebration of Western Australia’s rich Aboriginal culture and history, including important community consultation and engagement, feasibility studies and preliminary design work for the Perth Aboriginal Cultural Centre.

• The CBD Transport Plan, an investment to improve active and public transport accessibility and safety in the CBD, increasing the attractiveness and sustainability of the city for residents and visitors.

With an estimated 540,000 cycling trips undertaken on the current Causeway Bridge, the new Swan River Bridge aims to provide a safer, easier option for cyclists and pedestrians.

Images: Concept for the new Swan River Bridge (top),  ECU's proposed Perth campus as part of the Perth City Deal (middle) and Perth’s Matagarup Bridge (below).