The Commonwealth will fund the build with the state government to pick up the tab for its ongoing operational costs.
Federal Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said the WA site would be used for future emergencies or disasters,as well as continued management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The project will also create jobs in the state,support economic recovery and provide an enduring asset to enhance the state’s medium and long-term capability to respond to future natural disasters or future health crises in the years to come,” he said.
The first 500 beds at the facility are expected to open by April 2022 with similar facilities being planned for Victoria and Queensland.
The federal government has begun construction at its 1000-bed Melbourne facility,due to open by the end of the year. A proposed 1500-bed facility on defence land in Brisbane could be up and running at a similar time to Perth’s hub.
WA currently accepts 260 returned travellers a week,plus agricultural workers from low-risk countries,into its nine CBD hotel quarantine sites.