Published on Friday, 8 May 2026 at 1:30:33 PM
The Shire of East Pilbara says the 2026–27 WA State Budget delivers some welcome local commitments, but a $2.4 billion surplus is harder to celebrate when communities across the East Pilbara are still dealing with damaged roads, housing shortages, stretched health services and basic infrastructure that is not keeping up with need.
While the Shire has welcomed $32 million for Stage 4 of the Newman Light Industrial Area and additional regional health funding, it says the Budget misses a real opportunity to respond to the bigger pressures facing the East Pilbara and its remote communities.
Shire President Anthony Middleton said the $32 million allocation for Stage 4 of the Newman Light Industrial Area was a welcome outcome and reflected sustained advocacy from the Shire, local businesses and the wider community.
“The $32 million for Stage 4 of the Newman Light Industrial Area is a good outcome for Newman, and we welcome it,” Shire President Anthony Middleton said.
“But the key issue now is delivery. Local businesses need to know when these 16 lots will actually come to market, because the demand is already here.
“While these lots will help, they will not solve the whole problem. Newman still needs a longer-term pipeline of affordable light and general industrial land so businesses can grow, heavier industry has somewhere suitable to operate, and local jobs and services are not held back by a lack of available land.”
The Shire also acknowledged previously announced funding for several Newman and regional projects, including the Newman Youth and Community Hub, Great Northern Highway overtaking lanes, and the Martu Student Hostel Program, saying each would make a practical difference.
Mr Middleton said those projects were welcome, but they did not remove the need for a broader response to the practical pressures being felt across the East Pilbara, particularly in remote communities.
“There are some good wins here, and we acknowledge that. But the job is not done,” he said.“A State Budget surplus is a good thing, and strong financial management matters. But a $2.4 billion surplus is harder to celebrate in communities where roads are failing, housing is short, health services are stretched, and basic infrastructure is still not keeping up with need.”
Mr Middleton said the East Pilbara’s significant contribution to the State economy must be recognised in future investment decisions.
“The East Pilbara punches well above its weight,” Mr Middleton said.
“Our Shire generates almost $30 billion in gross regional product from a resident population of just over 10,000 people. The broader Pilbara region, of which we are a key part, accounts for around 20 per cent of Western Australia’s economic output and a major share of the State’s export income and royalty base.
“Strong financial management across the State is important, but it needs to be matched by targeted investment back into the regions that help drive that prosperity. Our communities should not be left carrying the infrastructure and service pressures that come with generating this level of economic value for Western Australia.”
Mr Middleton said the additional regional health funding, including funding for regional specialist health services and the Pilbara Health Initiative, was welcome, but the real test would be whether it improved access to care in places like Newman, Marble Bar, Nullagine and remote East Pilbara communities.
“For the East Pilbara, better health funding has to mean better access to health practitioners, stronger support for Newman Hospital and practical outreach into remote communities,” Mr Middleton said.
“We need assurance that regional health funding reaches places like Newman, Marble Bar, Nullagine and the East Pilbara’s remote communities, not just the larger regional centres.
“Where services are based in larger regional centres, they still need to reach smaller towns like ours. People in the East Pilbara should not always be expected to travel long distances for basic or specialist care, sometimes well over 1,000 kilometres return.”
Mr Middleton said the Budget’s individual funding items were welcome, but they did not change the day-to-day pressures still facing many East Pilbara communities.
“These are not minor concerns,” Mr Middleton said.
“They affect whether people can get to town, whether supplies can get through, whether students can keep studying, whether families can access the services they need, and whether local businesses have the land they need to operate and grow.
“The Shire looks forward to working with the State Government to address these issues and ensure future investment better reflects the needs of Newman, Marble Bar, Nullagine and our remote communities.”
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