State Government spends a year weighing up whether to chip in on level crossing funds

The State Government has angered farmers by refusing to commit to chip in and co-fund upgrades to some of WA’s most dangerous level crossings and slashing its rail crossing upgrade budget by $3 million per year for the next three years.

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the State Government was still undecided whether it would chip in to access part of $160m Federal Government funds contingent on States and Territories or local government contributions.

“Regarding the $160m, we are still working with the Federal Government to know what our share is but we continue to and will be investing more in this area around the State,” she told guests at the WAFarmers Conference in Perth last week.

“There are many level crossings across the regions. Some are on State roads and some are on private roads.

“That is another part of the bigger picture, how we can improve lights on trains but how we can improve level crossings.

“We look where we can to make them active crossings but more generally to try and improve the visibility and awareness to make sure more people are aware of what is happening at those level crossings and intersections.”

As revealed in Countryman in February, the $160m funding boost — announced by the then Morrison government in March last year — was available only to State and local governments willing to chip in 20 per cent of the cost of level crossing upgrades.

It forms part of a new $180m funding stream to set up the Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program to make level crossings safer in regional and remote areas around Australia.

The money was announced in response to a national campaign involving 12 families — four of which are from WA — whose loved ones have been killed by trains at passive level crossings in regional areas.

WAFarmers president John Hassell urged the State Government to co-contribute and boost its level crossing budget after an audit of last year’s WA finances showed a $6 billion surplus.

“We condemn the fact that there is no new money on the table; we have a bigger surplus than anywhere else in Australia,” he said.

“Clearly, country people don’t matter.

“These are people who utilise our rail crossings and get hit by trains ... if another accident happens, it will be on the hands of the State.

“It is a fairly good multiplier. There is money on the table and we wont get any if they don’t chip in.”

The $180m includes $160m to be rolled out over three years — between the 2023-24 and 2026-27 financial years — to fund up to 80 per cent of the cost of delivering “priority level crossing upgrades”.

A spokesman for Ms Saffioti’s office told Countryman in January the State Government was “awaiting advice” about how the $160m would be allocated amongst States.

Budget papers show the WA Government spent $8.92m on rail crossing upgrades in 2021, with plans to cut that funding to $5m per year for the next four years despite the national campaign.

The Federal Government spokesman said the $180m would be used to fund lower-cost level crossing safety protections, such as upgrades that would change level crossings from passive to active by installing boom gates, additional lighting and signals.

The Opposition has been pressuring the State Government to chip in for fund level crossing upgrades since the Federal funding was announced, with Opposition Leader Shane Love this week doubling down on calls.

“The Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program is an important step to a future where more regional motorists get home safely and the funding delivered under the program could be put to good use in many settings across regional WA,” he said.

“Since the former Federal Coalition Government announced the funding last March, the State Opposition has pushed the McGowan Government to match the funding required and thus ensure regional West Australians do not miss out on this vital program.

“The Minister’s latest comments are a devastating blow to families who have been impacted by loss and who have campaigned diligently for this funding.

“The State Government needs to act and grasp this opportunity to improve level crossing safety.”