Energy—Rewiring the Nation Fund
1004. Hon Dr Steve Thomasto theLeader of the House representing the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation:
It is not even a Thursday! I refer to the federal government's Rewiring the Nation Fund, which has committed up to $3 billion to transmission infrastructure in the state, with the North West identified as a priority, and to comments from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation that the Western Australian state government is taking a strong lead over the rollout of the $3 billion and is actively talking to about four project proponents.
(1) As at 10 November 2025, why has no real funding been delivered to the state from this fund in the Pilbara?
(2) Which four proponents is the government actively talking to?
(3) How much of the $3 billion will the state seek to have committed in 2025–26, 2026–27 and 2027–28?
(4) Why has the Pilbara Energy Transition Plan not been updated to include this potential funding?
(5) Does the government have any idea what the Pilbara transition will look like in the future?
The President: That is a nice, long question for you, Leader of the House!
Hon Stephen Dawson replied:
Thanks very much, President. I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. It is not even Thursday, as he said.
(1)–(5) The state government has identified four priority corridors for the development of new common-use transmission infrastructure in the Pilbara. These projects will receive the state government's recommendation to be considered for concessional financing from WA's allocation of up to $3 million under the Australian government's Rewiring the Nation program, administered by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Funding allocations from the Rewiring the Nation Fund are determined by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The state government is actively engaging with APA Group, Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Hub to develop their projects.
