Leighton Contractors sign City section of New MetroRail Project

Issue Date:  16 February 2004
Issued By:  Leighton Holdings Limited

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Re: Leighton Contractors sign City section of New MetroRail Project

Dear Sir,

Please find attached copies of media releases issued by the Western Australian Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and Leighton Contractors Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Limited. Leighton Contractors’ share of this contract is worth approx $178 million.

Yours sincerely,


A.J. MOIR
Company Secretary

City section of New MetroRail Project signed

Issue Date: 14 February 2004
Issued by: The Hon. Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure

The New MetroRail Project took another significant step today with the signing of the $324.5million contract for the construction of the project's city section.

The contract for the city project was signed with representatives of the Leighton-Kumagai Team this afternoon.

Works will include 600m of cut-and-cover and 700m of twin bored tunnel structures, underground stations at the Esplanade and William Street, drainage, service relocations, roadworks, pedestrian cycle links, railway track and overheads, landscaping and associated urban improvement works.

Under the design and construction contract, other than for limited specified events, the contractor is responsible for all design and construction risk, including risk associated with site conditions.

Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan welcomed today's signing and said on-the-ground works were expected to start in the next month.

The Minister confirmed the total capital works budget for the New MetroRail Budget remained $1.518billion.

"Today's signing is a major step in the Gallop Government's commitment to create a world-class public transport system for the metropolitan area," Ms MacTiernan said.

Minister's office: 9213 6400

Leighton Contractors signs Contract for $324 Million WA Rail Project

Issue Date: 16 February 2004
Issued by: Leighton Contractors Pty Limited

Leighton Contractors has finalised its agreement with the Western Australian Government to design and construct the $324 million package F component of the NewMetroRail project.

It is the second such contract to be signed by Leighton Contractors, who completed financial close on package E of the project worth $99 million last month.

“We are delighted that we have reached financial close and look forward to starting work on the projects that together represent the largest civil contracts ever undertaken in Western Australia by Leighton Contractors,” said Western Australian General Manager, Ray Sputore.

The contract, signed today, includes work involving the construction of two rail stations, one aboveground and one underground, a section of cut and cover rail track and a 700-metre rail tunnel under the Perth CBD.

“There is no doubt that this will be a challenging project,” said Leighton Contractors West Australian General Manager, Ray Sputore.

“The city component of the works involves a number of different construction techniques and work will take place around a fully operational CBD.”

“We are confident that the project will run as planned particularly given our joint venture partner, Kumagi Gumi, has significant experience in soft ground tunnelling which is what we are likely to encounter here in Perth,” said Mr Sputore.

The package E works include design and construct changes to the Narrows and Mt Henry Bridges as well as work along the centre of the Kwinana Freeway from Perth to Glen Iris.

Work on both projects will begin this month with tunnelling work under the CBD likely to begin in March next year. The projects are due for completion by the end of 2006.

Leighton Contractors is an Australian market leader in the delivery of complex infrastructure, project development, contract mining and construction. The company has in excess of $2 billion worth of work in hand and employs approximately 1,800 people.

-end-

For further information, please contact:
Simone Holzapfel
Manager, Corporate Affairs
Leighton Contractors
T: (02) 9925 6675 or m: 0423 027 576