❓ Mrs. Stojkovski asks about the McGowan government's investment in northern suburbs road infrastructure and its impact on local jobs/businesses. The Minister responds by outlining investments, highlighting the smart freeway project, and criticising the opposition's past stance on similar projects.
AnsweredQoN 790Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
ECONOMIC RECOVERY — TRANSPORT PROJECTS
790. Mrs
J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
focus on keeping Western Australia safe and strong through its record investment
in transport infrastructure projects. Can the minister update the house on this
government's investment in vital road infrastructure in the northern
suburbs, including the new northern suburbs smart freeway, and can the minister
outline to the house how this investment is supporting local jobs and local
businesses?
ECONOMIC RECOVERY — TRANSPORT PROJECTS
790. Mrs
J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
focus on keeping Western Australia safe and strong through its record investment
in transport infrastructure projects. Can the minister update the house on this
government's investment in vital road infrastructure in the northern
suburbs, including the new northern suburbs smart freeway, and can the minister
outline to the house how this investment is supporting local jobs and local
businesses?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kingsley for
that question.
This
state budget provides for record investment of $11.8 billion for transport
infrastructure over the next four years , including $2.4 billion for road
infrastructure. Of course, a highlight is $100 million for the new Mitchell
Freeway smart freeway project. This will help reduce congestion and improve
safety along the freeway. We have seen success
on the Kwinana Freeway with motorists saving, on average, 10 minutes a day
during peak hour. This will be rolled
out along the Mitchell Freeway for 16 ramps. We have seen that the technology
works, and Western Australian commuters and drivers have responded
positively to this initiative.
There
are many other road projects across the state and across the northern suburbs,
including the Yanchep rail extension, the Mitchell Freeway extension to Romeo
Road, the Mitchell Freeway Hodges Drive to Hepburn Avenue widening
project, the Stephenson Avenue project and all the other works. I want to also
highlight the Wanneroo Road–Ocean
Reef Road interchange, which I was happy to open yesterday with some federal
Senators , and the Wanneroo Road–Joondalup Drive project.
Many of these projects have not been
supported by members opposite; they have not supported road projects in the
northern suburbs. To give an example, when work on the Wanneroo Road–Joondalup
Drive project started, the shadow Minister for Transport said that the government's
decision to continue with that congestion reduction project was a reckless use
of taxpayers' funding. The opposition was opposed to congestion-busting
projects in the northern suburbs.
Unfortunately, the shadow minister
is not here, but I am happy to see both the Leader of the Opposition and the
shadow Treasurer in the chamber at the same time! It would be the first time in
a couple of days that they have both been in this place at the same time.
Unfortunately, as the Treasurer highlighted, the Leader of the Opposition was
late after having her photo taken on the front steps; yesterday, I saw the
shadow Treasurer having his photo taken on the front steps as well, so I do not
know what is happening there! Yesterday the shadow Treasurer was having his photo
taken, and today the Leader of the Opposition was having her photo taken on the
front steps. It is obviously a photo-op!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There was
also the infamous interview on 6PR late on a Tuesday night, when the shadow
Treasurer was asked whether the Leader of the Opposition had his support. He
said —
Oh, look, you know, I don't
see any change at this point in time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members to my
right!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : This opposition is
so all over the place that we do not see the shadow Treasurer and the Leader of the Opposition in the chamber at the same time because they are having a photo
competition on the steps of Parliament House. This is a weird time in WA
politics, but we are getting on with it. We are out there, delivering record
projects across Western Australia, and the Western Australian community is
thankful to have a government that is focused on keeping them safe in such
difficult times.
that question.
This
state budget provides for record investment of $11.8 billion for transport
infrastructure over the next four years , including $2.4 billion for road
infrastructure. Of course, a highlight is $100 million for the new Mitchell
Freeway smart freeway project. This will help reduce congestion and improve
safety along the freeway. We have seen success
on the Kwinana Freeway with motorists saving, on average, 10 minutes a day
during peak hour. This will be rolled
out along the Mitchell Freeway for 16 ramps. We have seen that the technology
works, and Western Australian commuters and drivers have responded
positively to this initiative.
There
are many other road projects across the state and across the northern suburbs,
including the Yanchep rail extension, the Mitchell Freeway extension to Romeo
Road, the Mitchell Freeway Hodges Drive to Hepburn Avenue widening
project, the Stephenson Avenue project and all the other works. I want to also
highlight the Wanneroo Road–Ocean
Reef Road interchange, which I was happy to open yesterday with some federal
Senators , and the Wanneroo Road–Joondalup Drive project.
Many of these projects have not been
supported by members opposite; they have not supported road projects in the
northern suburbs. To give an example, when work on the Wanneroo Road–Joondalup
Drive project started, the shadow Minister for Transport said that the government's
decision to continue with that congestion reduction project was a reckless use
of taxpayers' funding. The opposition was opposed to congestion-busting
projects in the northern suburbs.
Unfortunately, the shadow minister
is not here, but I am happy to see both the Leader of the Opposition and the
shadow Treasurer in the chamber at the same time! It would be the first time in
a couple of days that they have both been in this place at the same time.
Unfortunately, as the Treasurer highlighted, the Leader of the Opposition was
late after having her photo taken on the front steps; yesterday, I saw the
shadow Treasurer having his photo taken on the front steps as well, so I do not
know what is happening there! Yesterday the shadow Treasurer was having his photo
taken, and today the Leader of the Opposition was having her photo taken on the
front steps. It is obviously a photo-op!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There was
also the infamous interview on 6PR late on a Tuesday night, when the shadow
Treasurer was asked whether the Leader of the Opposition had his support. He
said —
Oh, look, you know, I don't
see any change at this point in time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members to my
right!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : This opposition is
so all over the place that we do not see the shadow Treasurer and the Leader of the Opposition in the chamber at the same time because they are having a photo
competition on the steps of Parliament House. This is a weird time in WA
politics, but we are getting on with it. We are out there, delivering record
projects across Western Australia, and the Western Australian community is
thankful to have a government that is focused on keeping them safe in such
difficult times.
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