Question on Notice regarding the removal of log trucks from the South Western Highway and the associated intermodal facility and rail line upgrade. The Minister's response confirms a $14.5 million commitment but cites contractual difficulties and a shift to a legislative approach.

AnsweredQoN 293Legislative Assembly
Asked
14 June 2007
Portfolio
Planning and Infrastructure

QuestionView source ↗

SOUTH WESTERN HIGHWAY - REMOVAL OF LOG TRUCKS
I refer to the minister’s statement today that she will now legislate to force log trucks off the South Western Highway and to her various promises to the people of the south west. (1) Who will pay for the intermodal facility at Greenbushes and the upgrade of the line from there to Bunbury and how much will it now cost? (2) When will work commence? (3) When will logs begin being transported on that rail line? (4) How many log truck trips would have been replaced by rail if the minister had kept her original, apparently non-core, election promise in 2004? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(4) Our commitment was to contribute $14.5 million to this project. That commitment remains. However, we did have the problem whereby there is no point doing this if we cannot get the parties involved to sign a contract to do that. We were unable to get the parties to sign a contract to do that so we have, as I said, taken a more radical pathway and we are putting in place a framework that would enable us to compel a certain quantity of the product back onto the rail. The opposition has an absolute nerve to come into this place and complain about the lack of rail transport. They destroyed the rail system. Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
(1) Who will pay for the intermodal facility at Greenbushes and the upgrade of the line from there to Bunbury and how much will it now cost? (2) When will work commence? (3) When will logs begin being transported on that rail line? (4) How many log truck trips would have been replaced by rail if the minister had kept her original, apparently non-core, election promise in 2004? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(4) Our commitment was to contribute $14.5 million to this project. That commitment remains. However, we did have the problem whereby there is no point doing this if we cannot get the parties involved to sign a contract to do that. We were unable to get the parties to sign a contract to do that so we have, as I said, taken a more radical pathway and we are putting in place a framework that would enable us to compel a certain quantity of the product back onto the rail. The opposition has an absolute nerve to come into this place and complain about the lack of rail transport. They destroyed the rail system. Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
(2) When will work commence? (3) When will logs begin being transported on that rail line? (4) How many log truck trips would have been replaced by rail if the minister had kept her original, apparently non-core, election promise in 2004? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(4) Our commitment was to contribute $14.5 million to this project. That commitment remains. However, we did have the problem whereby there is no point doing this if we cannot get the parties involved to sign a contract to do that. We were unable to get the parties to sign a contract to do that so we have, as I said, taken a more radical pathway and we are putting in place a framework that would enable us to compel a certain quantity of the product back onto the rail. The opposition has an absolute nerve to come into this place and complain about the lack of rail transport. They destroyed the rail system. Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
(3) When will logs begin being transported on that rail line? (4) How many log truck trips would have been replaced by rail if the minister had kept her original, apparently non-core, election promise in 2004? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(4) Our commitment was to contribute $14.5 million to this project. That commitment remains. However, we did have the problem whereby there is no point doing this if we cannot get the parties involved to sign a contract to do that. We were unable to get the parties to sign a contract to do that so we have, as I said, taken a more radical pathway and we are putting in place a framework that would enable us to compel a certain quantity of the product back onto the rail. The opposition has an absolute nerve to come into this place and complain about the lack of rail transport. They destroyed the rail system. Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
(4) How many log truck trips would have been replaced by rail if the minister had kept her original, apparently non-core, election promise in 2004? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(4) Our commitment was to contribute $14.5 million to this project. That commitment remains. However, we did have the problem whereby there is no point doing this if we cannot get the parties involved to sign a contract to do that. We were unable to get the parties to sign a contract to do that so we have, as I said, taken a more radical pathway and we are putting in place a framework that would enable us to compel a certain quantity of the product back onto the rail. The opposition has an absolute nerve to come into this place and complain about the lack of rail transport. They destroyed the rail system. Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(4) Our commitment was to contribute $14.5 million to this project. That commitment remains. However, we did have the problem whereby there is no point doing this if we cannot get the parties involved to sign a contract to do that. We were unable to get the parties to sign a contract to do that so we have, as I said, taken a more radical pathway and we are putting in place a framework that would enable us to compel a certain quantity of the product back onto the rail. The opposition has an absolute nerve to come into this place and complain about the lack of rail transport. They destroyed the rail system. Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
(1)-(4) Our commitment was to contribute $14.5 million to this project. That commitment remains. However, we did have the problem whereby there is no point doing this if we cannot get the parties involved to sign a contract to do that. We were unable to get the parties to sign a contract to do that so we have, as I said, taken a more radical pathway and we are putting in place a framework that would enable us to compel a certain quantity of the product back onto the rail. The opposition has an absolute nerve to come into this place and complain about the lack of rail transport. They destroyed the rail system. Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
Mr P.D. Omodei : You closed it. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : We are in the process of repairing another one of their mistakes.

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