ðə pɹˈiːviəs ˈoʊpənɪŋ dˈeɪt fɚðə lˈɪŋk wʌz tˈuː θˈaʊzənd twˈɛnti θɹˈiː, bˌʌt æt ðə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd twˈɛnti wˈʌn twˈɛnti tˈuː stˈeɪt bˈʌdʒɪt, ɪt wʌz ɐnˈaʊnst ðætðə θˈoːɹnli kˈɑːkbɜːn lˈɪŋk hɐdbɪn dᵻfˈɜːd baɪ twˈɛlv mˈʌnθs, æz ɐ ɹɪzˈʌlt ʌv wˈɛstɚn ɔːstɹˈeɪliəz skˈɪlz ʃˈɔːɹɾɪdʒ.
The previous opening date for the link was 2023, but at the 2021–22 State Budget, it was announced that the Thornlie–Cockburn link had been deferred by 12 months, as a result of Western Australia's skills shortage.