Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made a flying single-day visit to WA to announce a milestone in a major public transport project.

The new $1.6 billion elevated rail line through Perth’s south-eastern suburbs, part of the Perth-wide Metronet rail project, has allowed the removal of 13 level crossings, uniting communities divided for decades and freeing up space for community infrastructure.

The concrete structure is now complete, allowing the project to move on to laying the track and building five new train stations.

At a press conference earlier today, Albanese was flanked by WA Premier Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti. Federal MP for Swan Zaneta Mascarenhas and Labor candidate for Cannington Ron Sao were there too.

Asked why he was making such a fleeting visit fresh from his trip to the US for a Quad meeting, Albanese said it showed he was committed to WA.

“I have been coming to WA for a long period of time. I spoke to Roger about this project, and he encouraged me to come and it’s an exciting project,” he said.

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The quick visit drew criticism from deputy federal Liberal leader Sussan Ley who was also in town. Ley said life had got harder for West Australians under Labor.

“Having visited all 15 of WA’s federal seats this term, across 10 visits, I have talked to thousands of West Australians and they have told me they’ve gone backwards since Labor took power in Canberra,” she said.

Premier Cook said the visit showed Albanese was “committed and interested in what’s happening in Western Australia.”

The elevated rail line was originally slated to cost $1.05 billion but has since blown out to $1.6 billion with the Commonwealth tipping in $700 million. The state’s transport minister emphasised the project had been delivered on time and with no further cost blowouts than those already revealed.