❓ Ms. Saffioti questions Premier Barnett regarding conflicting statements about the Perth-Darwin Highway project commitment and funding. The Premier defends his government's commitment and criticizes the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 139Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH–DARWIN
HIGHWAY — ELECTION COMMITMENT
139. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's claims in recent days that
he did not commit to build the entire Swan Valley bypass from the Reid Highway–Tonkin
Highway intersection to Muchea but only a section of the bypass from Gnangara Road
to Muchea.
(1) How does this
compare with an answer provided by a minister in the Premier's
government in the upper house yesterday that stated that his government
committed to build the entire 37 kilometres from Tonkin–Reid to Muchea
between 2016 and 2019?
(2) Considering
that on 27 February the Minister for Transport said that the commonwealth would
need to fund at least 50 per cent of the project, why is the Premier now
rejecting the commonwealth's 50 per cent offer and wanting to
reallocate that money somewhere else?
(3) Who is right—the
Premier, who claims he did not commit to build the 37kilometre Swan Valley
bypass from 2016 to 2019, or the Minister for Transport, who claims that he
did?
HIGHWAY — ELECTION COMMITMENT
139. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's claims in recent days that
he did not commit to build the entire Swan Valley bypass from the Reid Highway–Tonkin
Highway intersection to Muchea but only a section of the bypass from Gnangara Road
to Muchea.
(1) How does this
compare with an answer provided by a minister in the Premier's
government in the upper house yesterday that stated that his government
committed to build the entire 37 kilometres from Tonkin–Reid to Muchea
between 2016 and 2019?
(2) Considering
that on 27 February the Minister for Transport said that the commonwealth would
need to fund at least 50 per cent of the project, why is the Premier now
rejecting the commonwealth's 50 per cent offer and wanting to
reallocate that money somewhere else?
(3) Who is right—the
Premier, who claims he did not commit to build the 37kilometre Swan Valley
bypass from 2016 to 2019, or the Minister for Transport, who claims that he
did?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
The one person who is not right is the member for West Swan. I refer to the
media release dated Tuesday, 26 February 2013 put out by the Liberal Party
during the election. It states —
A Liberal Government, if
re-elected, would start work during its next term on the Perth–Darwin
National Highway
That is pretty clear. It goes on —
It will ultimately run 37km north of
the current Tonkin Highway termination —
Ms
R. Saffioti : Read the second page.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am reading it. It states —
It will ultimately run 37km north of
the current Tonkin Highway termination at Reid Highway to join Great Northern
Highway at Brand Highway in Muchea.
''A Liberal Government, if
re-elected, will allocate $196million to complete the necessary land
acquisition and approval process and get construction under way,''
''It is anticipated that
major works would commence at the northern end of the alignment during 2016.
The project costs in the vicinity of $800 million. We have
committed and we will fund $196 million to start construction during this term
of government. The whole land approvals and planning will cover the whole
project. The construction work will be on that leg between Muchea and Gnangara
Road and the project will then go on. A total of $196 million was committed by
the Liberal Party during the election campaign, compared with zero dollars
committed by the Labor Party. We are $196 million in front of the Labor Party
at this stage. As long as the member runs around her electorate trying to
undermine this project, she will remain in opposition.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time. You have asked a
question that had four parts. If you want to ask a supplementary question, you
can do so, but please let the Premier answer the question.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is an important project. This government has committed to
it. It is a very complex and very large engineering project. This side of
politics has committed $196 million to it. That is a pretty good start. The
federal government has said that it will provide $400 million if the state
matches that. We are already $200 million into the project. If Wayne Swan looks
at the reality of what is about to happen on that project and says that the
federal government will provide $400 million additional to the $200 million
from the state, we can not only build the Gnangara Road through to Muchea
section, but also start work on the interchanges. That would be a good outcome.
Why is the opposition opposing that?
The one person who is not right is the member for West Swan. I refer to the
media release dated Tuesday, 26 February 2013 put out by the Liberal Party
during the election. It states —
A Liberal Government, if
re-elected, would start work during its next term on the Perth–Darwin
National Highway
That is pretty clear. It goes on —
It will ultimately run 37km north of
the current Tonkin Highway termination —
Ms
R. Saffioti : Read the second page.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am reading it. It states —
It will ultimately run 37km north of
the current Tonkin Highway termination at Reid Highway to join Great Northern
Highway at Brand Highway in Muchea.
''A Liberal Government, if
re-elected, will allocate $196million to complete the necessary land
acquisition and approval process and get construction under way,''
''It is anticipated that
major works would commence at the northern end of the alignment during 2016.
The project costs in the vicinity of $800 million. We have
committed and we will fund $196 million to start construction during this term
of government. The whole land approvals and planning will cover the whole
project. The construction work will be on that leg between Muchea and Gnangara
Road and the project will then go on. A total of $196 million was committed by
the Liberal Party during the election campaign, compared with zero dollars
committed by the Labor Party. We are $196 million in front of the Labor Party
at this stage. As long as the member runs around her electorate trying to
undermine this project, she will remain in opposition.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time. You have asked a
question that had four parts. If you want to ask a supplementary question, you
can do so, but please let the Premier answer the question.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is an important project. This government has committed to
it. It is a very complex and very large engineering project. This side of
politics has committed $196 million to it. That is a pretty good start. The
federal government has said that it will provide $400 million if the state
matches that. We are already $200 million into the project. If Wayne Swan looks
at the reality of what is about to happen on that project and says that the
federal government will provide $400 million additional to the $200 million
from the state, we can not only build the Gnangara Road through to Muchea
section, but also start work on the interchanges. That would be a good outcome.
Why is the opposition opposing that?
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