• A Mettam Liberal Government will expand the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund by $100m to fund a new Regional Housing Infrastructure Program.

• The first $15m investment out of this program will unlock infrastructure for 6,000 new homes in Albany, along with a further $1m commitment to Albany to support planning for an additional 2,500 homes.

• Under the WA Liberals’ Building a Better Future Blueprint, building more homes will be a top priority of a Mettam Liberal Government.

A Mettam Liberal Government will unlock up to 8,500 new residential lots in Albany through strategic infrastructure investment under a new Regional Housing Infrastructure Program, according to Libby Mettam, WA Liberal Leader, and Dr Thomas Brough, WA Liberal Candidate for Albany.

“The WA Liberals’ Regional Housing Infrastructure Program – an expansion of the HIIF announced in November and then copied by Labor – will invest an additional $100 million in supporting headworks and infrastructure to unlock more regional housing,” said Ms Mettam.

“The first investment we will make from the Regional Housing Infrastructure Program will be a $15m commitment for the North Albany Sewerage Upgrade, with another $1m also invested separately in planning for the McKail Structure Plan.

“Our investment will unlock up to 8,500 residences, support Albany’s growth as a major regional centre and deliver strong economic returns for the region.

“Albany, like the rest of WA, has been living through Labor’s housing crisis, and this investment will support private sector investment in unlocking more homes in the region.”

$15m will be invested in the North Albany Sewerage Upgrade, unlocking up to 6,000 new homes and removing a major barrier to development in North Albany, unlocking over $2bn in housing construction.

The WA Liberals will also invest $1m in the McKail Structure Plan, which will enable the development of 2,500 lots and create development ready land within 2-3 years.

“Our Building a Better Future blueprint makes it clear one of our key commitments to West Australians is to build more homes,” said Steve Martin, Shadow Minister for Housing.

“The WA Liberals’ Regional Housing Infrastructure Program, which brings the total Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund commitment to $600m, is a key part of how we will deliver on that promise for West Australian families, including those in regional WA.

“WA Labor has presided over, and driven, the housing crisis we are living through.

“In regional WA, housing shortages can have an even larger impact when essential workers can’t find a place to live, and deliver the services West Australians expect.”

Dr Thomas Brough, Liberal Candidate for Albany, welcomed the commitment from the WA Liberals to unlock homes for more than 20,000 people.

“Albany is one of WA’s fast-growing regional cities and this significant investment is critical to addressing our housing crisis,” said Dr Brough.

“We can't grow as a regional city if people have nowhere to live - whether they're starting a small business, joining our healthcare workforce, or moving here to raise their family.

“This new funding stream under the HIIF recognises the different challenges regional communities face in building new housing.”

“It is little wonder that more and more people want to live in our part of the world, and our investment will help make that happen in a sustainable and manageable way.”

The Regional Housing Infrastructure Program announcement takes the total commitment under the WA Liberal’s already-announced Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund to $600m.