The Rudd Labor Government has provided an extra $160 million for the New Perth Bunbury Highway – money that will make sure this vital project is completed by the middle of next year.

All up, the Commonwealth is investing $330 million on the construction of this new road connecting the State’s main production centres in the Peel and South West regions to domestic and overseas markets – slashing commute times by half an hour and taking traffic off the local roads of Mandurah.

This $705 million nation-building project extends the Kwinana Freeway to a new bypass of Mandurah and then continues on before rejoining the existing highway between Perth and Bunbury. Altogether we are building 70½ kilometres of new road.

Since bulldozers started clearing the ground in December 2006, more than 1.3 million man hours have been worked and a total of 251 contracts awarded, with $54 million of those going to local suppliers.

Support for the New Perth Bunbury Highway underscores the Rudd Labor Government’s commitment to investing in the infrastructure of Western Australia.

Once completed, the project will go a long way to improving the lifestyle within local communities and promoting new economic development opportunities across the region.

Importantly, the Government’s commitment to essential transport infrastructure in the region does not end with the New Perth Bunbury Highway project. For example, the Australian and Western Australian governments will each provide $65 million to build a new Mandurah Entrance Road, directly linking the new Highway with the city of Mandurah.

Main Roads Western Australia is constructing the New Perth Bunbury Highway under an alliance with the Southern Gateway Consortium which comprises Leighton Contractors, GHD and WA Limestone.