Labor promises funds for WA outer harbour

The Liberals have gone on a "magical infrastructure re-announcement tour" in WA but Labor started all of the projects, Anthony Albanese says.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Labor has accused the Liberals of going on a "magical infrastructure re-announcement tour" in WA. (AAP)

Perth Freight Link is a "dud" project and federal Labor has instead promised $2 million to take plans for a new harbour at Kwinana to Infrastructure Australia, Anthony Albanese says.

Fremantle Port will hit capacity early next decade, restricting growth and hampering trade opportunities, the opposition infrastructure spokesman said.

The coalition had allocated $1.2 billion for the Perth Freight Link - which will funnel trucks to the near-congested harbour - and despite the project being blocked by the WA Supreme Court, the state government wants to push ahead with it.

Mr Albanese claims the legal hurdle has left Malcolm Turnbull's infrastructure record in tatters, while Labor is ready to work with the state government on planning the Kwinana outer harbour instead.

"Perth Freight Link is a bad project," Mr Albanese told reporters in Perth on Monday.

"We support good projects, whether they be road or public transport projects that boost productivity here in Western Australia."

Mr Albanese said Labor had more than doubled the infrastructure budget in WA when they were in power, but the state had missed out under Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull's leadership.

"That's why we've seen a magical infrastructure re-announcement tour where they've come to projects such as this (Gateway WA project) and pretended that somehow they're new and that they had something to do with them," he said.

"There isn't a single project underway right now throughout Western Australia that was not funded and commenced under the former Labor government.

"That is quite extraordinary after three years."

Kwinana mayor Carol Adams applauded Labor for making the outer harbour an election promise.

"This isn't a short-term political football - it's the future trade nexus of container imports and freight movements in and throughout the state for the next half-century," she said.

"It has always been supported by both major parties. The only point of contention is when it should commence."

But federal Major Projects Minister Paul Fletcher said the opposition's comments were misleading.

He said among the coalition government's investments were $644.1 million for NorthLink WA, $307.8 million for part of the Great Northern Highway and $100.7 million for part of the North West Coastal Highway.


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Source: AAP



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