Company Announcements Office
The Australian Stock Exchange Limited
Level 4
20 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Re: Financial close achieved on $1.5 billion Western Sydney Orbital

Dear Sir,

Please find attached copies of media releases to be issued today by Leighton Contractors Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Limited and WestLink Motorway Limited.

Yours sincerely,


A.J. MOIR
Company Secretary

Western Sydney Orbital gets the green light

Issue Date: 17 February 2003
Issued by: Abigroup Leighton Joint Venture

The Abigroup Leighton Joint Venture has been officially appointed the design and construction contractor for the $1.5 billion Western Sydney Orbital, following financial close today between WestLink Motorway Limited consortium and the Roads and Traffic Authority.

Following opening to traffic in 2007, the Abigroup Leighton Joint Venture (under WestLink Services Pty Limited) will be responsible for all of the ongoing maintenance and some operational aspects of the fully electronically tolled 40km motorway. This work will be carried out during the concession period which extends to 34 years from the Financial Close date.

Joint Venture Project Director, Tony Spink said, “The 50/50 Abigroup Leighton Joint Venture is fully integrated and brings together the extensive road building experience of both companies. Together we already operate large modern fleets of the specialised equipment needed for the massive task of earthworks, bridge and road works.”

“As members of the WestLink consortium, our role is to help deliver a first class infrastructure facility that will satisfy stakeholders, and improve traffic flow and travel times in these very busy parts of Western Sydney, “ said Tony Spink.  

The Western Sydney Orbital motorway will connect with three existing motorways, the M2, M4 and M5 and involves construction of 17 interchanges, more than 170 bridges and improvements to many significant local roads.

Currently, detailed design is under way and several construction teams have been formed to plan and undertake the considerable logistics involved in constructing the state’s largest road building project. Site establishment and construction works are expected to begin in the near future.

There are a large number of stakeholders involved in the delivery of the Western Sydney Orbital including four local councils who will be consulted on many aspects of the project. There are also many environmental, local traffic and transport, and community considerations along the entire route that are being addressed in detail by the project team.

Several community liaison groups are currently being established along the project corridor. These groups will meet frequently and be consulted about detailed project issues.

A Community Contact Line - 1800 100 707 - has been set-up by the Abigroup Leighton Joint Venture to provide stakeholders with information about the Western Sydney Orbital and joining the community liaison groups.

Together joint venture partners Abigroup Contractors and Leighton Contractors provide a wealth of experience gained from significant road infrastructure projects in NSW. Abigroup Contractors completed the M2 Motorway and the Yelgun to Chinderah section of the Pacific Highway, while Leighton Contractors constructed the Eastern Distributor Motorway and the M5 Motorway.

Abigroup Contractors is a leading Australian owned engineering and construction group, specialising in engineering, building, project management, a broad range of design and construction services, major project and infrastructure packaging services, maintenance and asset management.

Leighton Contractors is an Australian market leader in the delivery of complex infrastructure, project development, building, contract mining and construction. The company currently has in excess of $2.8 billion work in hand and employs over 2,000 people.   

-end-

For media information:
Annie Stante
Manager, Corporate Affairs
Leighton Contractors Pty Limited
T: (02) 9925 6675
M: (0413) 316 948

Sarah Harding
Corporate Communications Manager
Abigroup Contractors Pty Limited
T: (02) 9497 9019
M: (0417) 452 961

 WestLink closes on Western Sydney Orbital

Issue Date: 17 February 2003
Issued by: WestLink Motorway Limited

The WestLink Motorway Limited consortium today announced that it had achieved financial close on the $1.5 billion Western Sydney Orbital (WSO), the largest single road construction  project to be undertaken in New South Wales.

WestLink was announced as the preferred consortium for the project on 28 October 2002 and has now reached the significant milestone of financial close with the Roads and Traffic Authority.  Detailed engineering design work is already underway and construction will commence in the near future.

The WestLink consortium comprises: