State Development Bill 2025 & Role of the Coordinator General
Speaking about his government’s priorities over the next four years at the Leadership Matters breakfast on Monday, Premier Roger Cook announced the introduction of a State Development Bill into Parliament with the objective of fast-tracking priority projects, streamlining approvals and unlocking investment and major job-creating projects in WA.
The Bill grants statutory powers to the Premier, supported by the Coordinator General, to lead the identification, facilitation and coordination of projects and precincts of strategic significance to Western Australia.
The Bill will essentially create a framework that enables the State to consolidate and coordinate planning, assessment and approval processes through declared Priority Projects and State Development Areas (SDAs). Priority Projects are projects designed by the Premier as being strategically significant to the State such as those that deliver critical or common-user infrastructure, strong capital investment, job creating opportunities or economic or social benefits. SDAs may be an existing high priority Strategic Industrial Area, a new industrial hub, or a common user infrastructure corridor.
Despite the success and momentum generated by the Vogel McFerran review in streamlining environmental assessments and approvals, the Coordinator General’s role — while helpful — lacked the delegated statutory powers to help effectively execute the role’s intended outcomes.
UDIA WA has long advocated the establishment of a Coordinator General role with a dedicated focus on infrastructure, recognising that infrastructure is both a vital enabler and a prevailing constraint to advancing projects of State Significance, as well as broader industrial and residential development.
Although the Powers created by the Bill would not be able to be used for projects that are primarily residential, there is flexibility to capture such developments where they support a designated Priority Project or are within a State Development Area.
The Bill seeks to support the independence of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and respect existing Aboriginal heritage protections, facilitating coordination across government while preserving the integrity of existing safeguards. The broader powers of the Bill do not apply to the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, aside from the ability of the Premier to issue a timeframe notice for a Priority Project. Further, the powers cannot be used to entirely exempt a project from the requirements for key regulatory authorisations or to require the EPA or the Western Australia Planning Commission to make a decision jointly with the Coordinator General.
This new framework is intended to enable a more strategic approach to State Development by increasing the certainty of end-to-end project approval timeframes, supporting WA to be globally competitive and investment ready.
We look forward to seeing the detail in the Bill as it is introduced and hope that its successful passage through Parliament results in increased certainty, reduced delays, and an attractive environment for investors to choose WA.
If passed, implementation will occur in stages, supported by updated regulations, guidance materials, and digital tools to assist stakeholders.
The Office of the Coordinator General is expected to continue engaging with stakeholders to support a smooth transition, but it is important to note that the office of Coordinator General is not the initial point of contact for new projects or proponents. Projects seeking support or progressing through the approvals system should continue to engage through the Lead Agency Framework. The Department of Energy and Economic Diversification (DEED) remains the primary front door for industry engagement and initial triage of proposals.
The role of the Coordinator General is to support strategic coordination across government once projects or precincts are formally identified as strategically significant.
Further detail on processes and roles will be communicated progressively throughout the implementation phase.
Further information:
- Premier’s Media Statement 08 September: Landmark State Development Bill to drive investment and growth | Western Australian Government
- Website: The Office of the Coordinator General
Premier announces key priorities – Jobs, Health, Housing
UDIA WA welcomes the Premier’s recognition of ‘Housing’ as a key priority for the State Government. The six strategic priorities for this State Government through to 2029, announced by the Premier this week are:
- Diversifying the WA economy so that it remains the strongest in the nation
- Ensuring all Western Australians can access the healthcare we need, when we need it
- Ensuring every Western Australian has a home
- Building safe and inclusive communities
- Protecting and restoring our environment
- Delivering quality infrastructure and services across our State
To achieve the housing priority, the State Government commitment is to continue:
- Increasing land supply for housing
- Cutting red tape for housing developments
- Helping more Western Australians buy their first home
- Delivering more social, community and affordable housing, as well housing for key workers
- Developing the housing construction workforce
We have welcomed the State Government’s approach to date in engaging with UDIA WA on challenges and opportunities to leverage industry in delivering the homes we need, faster. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to ensure all Western Australians have a home.
Further Information
- Premier’s Media Statement 05 September: Spotlight on the government’s priorities
- DPLH Strategic Plan 2025-29: Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage Strategic Plan
Nominate for a UDIA WA Committee
Do you have the energy, passion, and commitment to help drive true reform and make a difference for our communities, industry, and member organisation? If so, we encourage you to nominate for a UDIA WA Committee and/or the Expert Pool!
Our committees have a focus on the outcomes we are delivering for our communities, and to maximise member value.
We are currently calling for nominations for both the Strategic and Operational Committees, as well as the Outlook Committee. We also have an Expert Pool to bring together experts from across a broad range of specialist areas to supplement and support our committees, and we’re inviting nominations for this too.
We are looking for multi-disciplinary representation, and with several non-policy focused committees and the Expert Pool, there is a huge and diverse range of potential opportunities for all involved in our industry not just technical experts.
Read the Nomination Kit to find out more about the committees and Expert Pool, and candidate requirements.
You can apply by completing the online form by COB Friday 3 October 2025.
Reach out to Sarah or James in the Policy team if you have any queries.
Participation through our committees or Expert Pool is a great way to amplify your impact in supporting great places and housing choice to enable better lives for Western Australians.
Western Power materials costs and supply timeframes
Western Power has provided the following industry update and outlook regarding current indicative lead times for supply chain materials.
In early September 2025, Red Sea shipping lanes have once again become flashpoints for global trade disruption due to recent actions from militia groups – including the introduction of a naval blockade on Israel’s Port of Haifa. Major carriers have responded by rerouting container vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, extending Asia–Europe transit times by 10–14 days and triggering a 40–60% surge in spot freight rates along with a threefold jump in insurance premiums for voyages through the region.
- The United States has compounded supply chain pressures with a fresh suite of tariffs. Effective 1 August 2025, duties on a broad array of Chinese imports—industrial machinery, electronics, and automotive components—rose sharply, while Section 232 levies on steel and aluminium remain at 50%.
- The White House’s reciprocal-tariff framework has also scrapped the de minimis exemption as of 29 August, eliminating low-value customs thresholds and prompting many importers to accelerate shipments to beat higher duties. Although a recent appellate court ruling has temporarily paused parts of the reciprocal program, complexity around product- and country-specific rates persists.
Ongoing Inventory management:
Globally, supply chains remain fragile, lead times remain extended. These factors which are volatile and unpredictable are key contributors to low stock scenarios impacting Western Power’s inventory management and recovery strategies. Beyond common management strategies of assessing holdings at depots, suppliers and customers, potential to expedite (air freight), alternative designs and products, Inventory & Logistics seeks to minimise business disruption by way of project and program prioritisation with business sponsors, focus on demand planning across streams of faults, volumetric programs, UPP, projects and customer streams, extended order forecast horizons, increased safety stock levels and assessing supply risk for future orders over 12 month horizon.
A more detailed list of sustained lead time challenges and short-term delays/ potential availability risks has been provided to UDIA WA and can be forward to interested members. Contact Aaron Muilne or Gemma Osiejak for the full list.
UDIA WA thanks John Halleen for his outstanding contributions
UDIA WA extends its sincere thanks to John Halleen for his long-standing invaluable contributions as a committee member and contributor to UDIA WA Educate courses.
Joining the presenter’s roster in 2009, John has been presenting the Environmental Sustainability session of Module 2 in our Foundations of Property Development course for over ten years – covering the ongoing evolution of State and Commonwealth environmental policies and guidelines diving into the industry’s responses to the changes. Historically, John has been a member of our Planning Committee and is currently the deputy chair of the Environmental & Climate Action Operational Committee.
We are deeply grateful for John’s contribution to supporting the next generation of professionals and helping shape the future of our industry through the sharing of his knowledge and expertise.
Find out about the full suite of UDIA WA Educate Courses here.
UDIA WA 2025 Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner
The night is almost here! We’re only two sleeps away from meeting this year’s winners of the 2025 UDIA WA Awards for Excellence.
We want to wish all the nominated projects, teams, and individuals the best of luck on the development industry’s ‘Night of Nights’!
We look forward to celebrating with everyone this Saturday night!
We extend our thanks to Platinum Sponsor Western Australian Planning Commission, and Gold Sponsors Lavan and Stantec for their support of the 2025 UDIA WA Awards for Excellence along with all of our category sponsors and event partners.
$6 Million in Capital Grants Available for WA’s Building & Construction Training Providers
Construction Training Fund (CTF) is now accepting applications for its 2025-26 Capital Grant Program, a $6 million initiative designed to strengthen Western Australia’s building and construction workforce.
Private Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) can apply for funding to upgrade facilities, purchase training equipment or expand capacity to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant training.
This year, CTF is especially encouraging projects that:
- Support WA’s energy transformation and decarbonisation goals, including training aligned with sustainable construction and renewable energy technologies.
- Drive regional development and infrastructure investment, helping build local capability and resilience across WA’s diverse communities.
Applications are currently open and close 5:00pm Friday 17 October 2025.
Learn more and apply: https://ctf.wa.gov.au/funding/capital-grant-2025
TBB Planning named UDIA Quiz Champions
Thank you to everyone who joined us for a delightful evening on Thursday 28 August for our Annual Outlook Quiz night!
TBB Planning took first place, followed by Lavan in second for the second year running! After clinching the tiebreaker to secure a spot on the podium, Urbis took home third place!
The most social on the evening, Ashley Granado from Stantec won the social bingo!
Huge thanks to our events sponsors; Parcel Property and Underground Power Development.
A special thanks to the Camfield for hosting us and providing delicious food & beverages.
Renewal of City of Perth’s Strategic Community Plan
The City of Perth is undertaking a review of its Strategic Community Plan, now titled the Perth Capital City Plan – Towards 2036 and Beyond. To ensure the plan reflects the priorities and aspirations of the community, the City is seeking input from residents, businesses, government and non-government entities.
The engagement survey is currently open and will close 3 November 2025.
Engage with the City of Perth: https://engage.perth.wa.gov.au/perth-capital-city-plan
CTF Employer Grant – Increased Support for WA Construction Employers
Construction Training Fund have refreshed their Employer Grant Funding Program – restructuring the payment structure. The Employer Grant is designed to provide financial support to WA construction employers when hiring and training apprentices.
The updated payment structure is designed to:
- Improve fairness and transparency across employers.
- Strengthen incentives for apprentice retention and successful completions. By shifting a greater proportion of payments to the completion stage, CTF is directly rewarding employers for supporting apprentices through to the end of their training.
- Provide clearer visibility of total entitlements and bonus payments for employers.
From September 2025, bonus supplements such as the Mature Age Bonus will now be paid at the time they become applicable during the apprenticeship, rather than only if they were eligible at commencement.
These enhancements are designed to ease the financial pressure of training, improve apprentice retention and support a stronger, more sustainable construction workforce in WA.
Learn more: https://ctf.wa.gov.au/funding/employer-grant
Dr Michael Schaper appointed Deputy Chair of the Infrastructure WA Board
This month, the State government appointed Dr Micael Schaper as Deputy Chairperson of the Infrastructure WA (IWA) board. Dr Schaper’s experience in governance, regulatory oversight and public policy will help to support the establishment of a WA Productivity Commission with consultation already underway.
Infrastructure WA chairperson Nicole Lockwood said, “Dr Schaper’s breadth of experience will help guide our next phase with the WA Productivity Commission and ensure we remain focused on delivering independent, strategic advice that benefits all Western Australians.”
IWA is governed by an independent board comprising of up to 10 members, combining the expertise of both the public and private sectors, and provides strategic policy direction and oversight of major infrastructure proposal investment decisions.
Nature Play WA: Creating inclusive spaces for girls
Nature Play WA have launched the Our Girls Recreational Space Project with the aim of understanding how current spaces are being used by girls, what girls want and will use in a recreational space, and how best to meet these needs.
Current research suggests that up to 90% of Australian teen and tween girls (11-17 years) are not getting enough physical activity for good health, with further research suggesting they are not using recreational spaces designed for youth with teenage boys representing up to 95% of users of spaces such as skate parks and bmx tracks.
Nature Play WA are seeking assistance to gather data between 6 – 12 October identifying the demographics utilising parks and recreational spaces; identifying what girls want; and identify barriers and solutions in girl-friendly design.
To learn more, or get involved in the Our Girls Recreational Space Project, visit: https://www.natureplaywa.org.au/girls-recreational-spaces/
National Updates
First Nations Cultural Heritage Reforms
On Tuesday 9 September, UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck and Executive Director – Strategy & Policy Sarah Macaulay received a briefing from the Heritage Policy Branch at DCCEEW on the proposed First Nations Cultural Heritage Reforms.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (ATSIHP Act) allows the Federal Minister to protect significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander areas and objects from injury or desecration when State or Territory laws are ineffective. It acts as a “last resort” measure, enabling the Minister to issue short-term or long-term declarations upon application by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people when a threat is imminent.
The destruction of sacred caves at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara in 2020 and subsequent parliamentary inquiries highlighted deficiencies of the Commonwealth cultural heritage protection framework under the ATSIHP Act.
The Australia Government and the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance have been working collaboratively since late 2021 to co-design reforms to address issues with the system.
The proposed reforms seek to modernise the Act, assist proponents to identify those who speak for Country, support and encourage early and authentic engagement and agreement between proponents and TOs, streamline processes, and provide increased certainty for all stakeholders. UDIA looks forward to digesting the details, understanding the interaction with the State framework under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and engaging further with DCCEEW on the proposed reforms.