West Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti says this week’s budget will signal a major transition in spending priorities, with Labor’s mega-transport projects making way for billions of dollars to be spent on new economic infrastructure to support industry.

Saffioti acknowledged that poles, wires and pipes are not as electorally compelling as the Metronet rail projects that have dominated the government’s first two terms, but said the state’s energy transition and future industrial ambitions relied on immense economic infrastructure investment.