McGowan Government promises $7.5 million to improve access to Oakajee if re-elected

A re-elected Labor Government would commit $7.5 million in road construction works to kick-start the development of a renewable hydrogen hub at Oakajee, State Premier Mark McGowan announced from Geraldton today.

The funding commitment would see the installation of an intersection at North West Central Coastal Highway and the central access road into the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area.

Mr McGowan said the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area had been “dormant for too long” and promised a re-elected Labor Government would facilitate the development of the site into a hydrogen precinct.

“The Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area has laid dormant for too long, and my Government will facilitate the development of the site into a major job-creating hydrogen precinct,” he said.

“This commitment to put in place road infrastructure at Oakajee will fast-track development of the site, taking forward this major job-creating project for Geraldton.

“We have an affordable achievable plan for Oakajee as a world-class renewable hydrogen hub, putting the Mid West at the forefront of a major new industry and delivering jobs in Geraldton.”

Minister for Regional Development and Agriculture Alannah MacTiernan said the Government was currently working through 65 expressions of interest received from applicants wanting to produce and export renewable hydrogen at Oakajee.

Ms MacTiernan said an update on the assessment of these applications could be expected mid-year if the McGowan Government was re-elected.

“We anticipate that by mid-year, we will be able to come forward with a strategy for Oakajee,” she said.

“But what we wanted to do today was to commit to this early investment in road infrastructure so we know that after 25 years of the empty paddocks just sitting there, we now have some investment going in that will underpin the development of those sites.

“Our early investment in this road infrastructure to open up that Greenfield site is really important and is a mark of how serious we are about the prospect for Oakajee as a renewable hydrogen hub.”