WA Labor’s freight rail plan to deliver massive benefits for Albany and Great Southern communities

• WA Labor committed to bringing freight rail back into Government hands
• Albany and Great Southern communities and farmers to be the big winners
• Better use of freight rail network will get trucks off local roads
• Freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000
• Demands on the freight rail network have grown substantially in recent years
• Public control would help unlock greater economic activity, and support industry, farmers and regional communities

Communities and farmers in Albany and the Great Southern will be the big winners under WA Labor’s commitment to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

The Cook Labor Government announced in January it would enter negotiations with current operator Arc Infrastructure to bring the freight network back under public control.

The State’s freight rail network was sold off by the Liberals and Nationals in 2000, with Western Australia counting the cost ever since.

Growth in grain production throughout the Great Southern has seen significant increases in exports from the Port of Albany in recent years.

Returning freight rail would ease the burden on Great Southern and Albany communities by getting grain carting trucks off the road.

Under the terms of the existing lease agreement, the State Government has little ability to support key industries make better use of the State’s freight rail network, which has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of trucks using Great Southern roads.

Greater public control would allow for greater and more targeted Government investment in the freight rail network, delivering significant benefits including:

• increased use of the freight rail network, reducing the reliance on heavy vehicles carting freight by road;
• improved safety on roads, by reducing the number of trucks;
• greater capacity to meet the demand being driven by new resource projects and growth in output from the agriculture sector, supporting future WA jobs;
• cost savings for industry through the more efficient movement of grain and commodities to and from the State's ports, to ensure WA remains globally competitive;
• ability to improve the frequency and journey times for regional rail services, like the Australind;
• greater flexibility for regional communities, who have been prohibited and limited in relation to what activities they can undertake in close proximity to rail corridors;
• greater involvement and potential partnerships with local WA businesses; and
• more opportunities for tourism investment, particularly tracks that are underutilised or under care and maintenance.

The plan to bring freight rail back into Government hands is the latest in a range of initiatives and projects to improve freight productivity and road safety in Albany and the Great Southern.

WA Labor recently committed $10 million to deliver a business case for critical upgrades to the Port of Albany and $50 million for important upgrades to South Coast Highway.

The Cook Labor Government also delivered the Albany Ring Road in 2024, which has significantly reduced the number of trucks moving through the centre of Albany, and the delivery of the Chester Pass Road/Menang Drive flyover will further enhance road safety and freight productivity.

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will progress negotiations with Arc Infrastructure and will make a final decision if it is economically and financially responsible to do so.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“Unlike the Liberals and Nationals, WA Labor has a genuine plan to improve road safety and enhance the efficiency of our freight networks across regional WA."

“We want to support Great Southern farmers by reducing their costs and get their grain to port more efficiently, which is why bringing freight rail back in house is so important."

“Bringing freight rail back into Government hands will also deliver significant benefits to the broader Great Southern community, especially getting heavy vehicles off the road."

“The fact the Liberals and Nationals oppose this sensible plan is not surprising, but it’s still a kick in the guts for regional communities."

“Regional communities have carried the burden of the decision the Liberals and Nationals made to privatise our freight rail network in 2000, and only WA Labor will take action to bring it back into public hands.”