Premier Roger Cook backs Webuild to deliver $1.8 billion maternity hospital promise despite partner collapse

A global construction company which has never built an Australian hospital has been backed by the Cook Government to deliver WA’s planned Women’s and Babies Hospital by 2029 after the collapse of its local partner. Premier Roger Cook said the Government was continuing contract negotiations with Webuild for the $1.8 billion Murdoch-based hospital, after The West Australian revealed on Thursday that joint venture partner Roberts Co had pulled out before it went into voluntary administration this week. It is understood Webuild had bought out Roberts Co’s share of the joint venture in recent weeks. Webuild — who were previously known as Salini Impregilo — was the company was responsible for the Forrestfield Airport Link, and acquired local builder Clough in 2023. The company’s website states it had built more than 200 healthcare facilities worldwide, listing eight hospitals, including in Italy, the UK and for the Saudi Arabian National Guard. Premier Roger Cook backed the company to continue with the project alone, saying they had increased their local capacity to build the hospital. “We remain very positive and confident about Webuild’s capacity to deliver this project by 2029,” he said. “Webuild are a global company. They have 95,000 employees, an order book of around about $100 billion and have built hospitals right around the world. “We know that they’ve brought teams into Western Australia, particularly some from Victoria, who have recently finished the new HEART hospital in that state. So we know they’ve got local skills and expertise to draw on as well terms.” Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti defended Finance’s “significant due diligence” on the joint venture partners before the letter of intent was signed shortly before Christmas last year. “The key point is that we haven’t signed a contract yet, and so we’ve been able to understand and got to work through all of these issues, through this period of time when there was just a letter of intent,” she said. In a statement, a Webuild spokeswoman said the WA Life joint venture “was proud to be preferred proponent for the delivery of Western Australia’s world class New Women and Babies Hospital.” “Since being named as preferred in December 2024, WA Life (comprising of Webuild as the majority participant and Roberts Co) and the State Government have been working closely and collaboratively to finalise the contract,” she said. “During this period Roberts Co, who held a minor participation interest in WA Life, have advised that they wished to withdraw from the WA Life team. Both the State and WA Life have agreed to this request, whilst ensuring that all critical resources continue to be available for delivery. “Over recent months the State and Webuild as WA Life have continued negotiations, in the same open and collaborative manner, and are close to finalising all aspects of the contract for the new hospital facilities.” Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas described the revelation as a “chronic failure” for the Government. “This collapse of the joint venture arrangement to build this Women and Babies Hospital now has no construction beginning, and no business case,” Mr Zempilas said. “There is clearly a complete breakdown of the due diligence process that should have taken place to ensure that this joint venture partnership was safe, sound and reliable. “What we continue to see from the Cook Labor Government is spin — spinning their way out of issues that they have created for themselves and not being straight with the people of Western Australia.”