❓ The Minister for Transport updates the house on the Outback Way project, a major road upgrade in regional WA, highlighting collaboration with the Commonwealth government and benefits for freight, tourism, and Indigenous employment.
AnsweredQoN 94Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OUTBACK WAY
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Member
for Kalgoorlie, I see you are seeking the call.
94. Ms A.E. KENT to the Minister for Transport:
I am, and thank you from the regions.
I am in Kalgoorlie.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating road infrastructure
across regional Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the work
underway to improve our regional roads, including upgrades to our
pathway, and outline what this will mean for those travelling through the
regions?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house how it is continuing to work with the
commonwealth government to secure funding for major projects and deliver jobs
for Western Australians?
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Member
for Kalgoorlie, I see you are seeking the call.
94. Ms A.E. KENT to the Minister for Transport:
I am, and thank you from the regions.
I am in Kalgoorlie.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating road infrastructure
across regional Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the work
underway to improve our regional roads, including upgrades to our
pathway, and outline what this will mean for those travelling through the
regions?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house how it is continuing to work with the
commonwealth government to secure funding for major projects and deliver jobs
for Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for Kalgoorlie for that question.
(1)–(2) There is one road project that I purposely missed
out in my last answer, and that is the Outback Way. That is another
major project, something that was on the wish list of the community in the
goldfields. In the last term, I went out to the goldfields and met with shires,
member, such as the Shire of Laverton, as we know.
The shires talked to me about the importance of the Outback Way—the
great central road—and how they had been working to get the
attention of the former government to try to get the investment and how it
needed help from the state government, from Main Roads, to help deliver their
vision.
Initially, straightaway we said that
Main Roads would take over the management of this project. We put our people
there to help support the delivery of that project. We initially secured $52 million
and then $112 million for the construction of the road. We have created an
alliance with Central Earthmoving and Carey
Mining. The alliance is all about getting Aboriginal workers on that project. I
do not have the numbers in front of me, but I think 30 workers have been
trained and employed on that project so far for that first $52 million stage. Unfortunately, I could not go
out there to visit. A number of local Aboriginal people are employed on that
project. Now we are in the process of getting stage 2 underway, which is worth
$112 million. There are about 872 kilometres from Laverton to the WA–Northern
Territory border. A total of 736 kilometres are currently unsealed. In a joint decision made this week between the
Deputy Prime Minister and ourselves , we have allocated $500 million to
that project.
A member: How much have you
allocated?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We have
allocated $100 million and the commonwealth, $400 million.
A member: Isn't that great!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : That is a great
thing! I think the commonwealth does have a responsibility to fundraise in WA,
just like it does over east. The idea that we would not ask the federal
government for money is another stupid idea from the opposition. Of course, we
should ask for as much money as possible because WA taxpayers are Australian
taxpayers and they deserve the money, too. Just like the commonwealth spends
billions in other states, we will accept $400 million for what is a nation-building
project.
As I said, we have 720 kilometres to do. We will be working
with the local Aboriginal communities and with contractors to deliver this
project. It will also help improve the resilience of the freight and transport
network from the east to the west. As we know, we had a terrible situation with
the train line for about 24 days recently and when the Eyre Highway was out due
to bushfires. This road will create another east–west link. It will not
only be good for freight movements, but also open up that entire region for
tourism potential. People who want to travel around Australia will be able to
go through the heart of Australia, from Winton to Alice Springs into Laverton.
That is the Outback Way. It is 2 720 kilometres long.
I thank the federal government for
its partnership. With this work, we will be able to seal the entire length of
road to make sure that it will not only
improve the freight east–west connectivity, but also create new jobs
and opportunities for everyone in the entire goldfields region,
including Laverton. Of course, it will also support the mining and exploration
activity that is occurring in that region. All up, it is a great project. We
are happy to partner with the commonwealth and, again, in this instance, have
the ability to spend $500 million in one part of regional WA.
member for Kalgoorlie for that question.
(1)–(2) There is one road project that I purposely missed
out in my last answer, and that is the Outback Way. That is another
major project, something that was on the wish list of the community in the
goldfields. In the last term, I went out to the goldfields and met with shires,
member, such as the Shire of Laverton, as we know.
The shires talked to me about the importance of the Outback Way—the
great central road—and how they had been working to get the
attention of the former government to try to get the investment and how it
needed help from the state government, from Main Roads, to help deliver their
vision.
Initially, straightaway we said that
Main Roads would take over the management of this project. We put our people
there to help support the delivery of that project. We initially secured $52 million
and then $112 million for the construction of the road. We have created an
alliance with Central Earthmoving and Carey
Mining. The alliance is all about getting Aboriginal workers on that project. I
do not have the numbers in front of me, but I think 30 workers have been
trained and employed on that project so far for that first $52 million stage. Unfortunately, I could not go
out there to visit. A number of local Aboriginal people are employed on that
project. Now we are in the process of getting stage 2 underway, which is worth
$112 million. There are about 872 kilometres from Laverton to the WA–Northern
Territory border. A total of 736 kilometres are currently unsealed. In a joint decision made this week between the
Deputy Prime Minister and ourselves , we have allocated $500 million to
that project.
A member: How much have you
allocated?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We have
allocated $100 million and the commonwealth, $400 million.
A member: Isn't that great!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : That is a great
thing! I think the commonwealth does have a responsibility to fundraise in WA,
just like it does over east. The idea that we would not ask the federal
government for money is another stupid idea from the opposition. Of course, we
should ask for as much money as possible because WA taxpayers are Australian
taxpayers and they deserve the money, too. Just like the commonwealth spends
billions in other states, we will accept $400 million for what is a nation-building
project.
As I said, we have 720 kilometres to do. We will be working
with the local Aboriginal communities and with contractors to deliver this
project. It will also help improve the resilience of the freight and transport
network from the east to the west. As we know, we had a terrible situation with
the train line for about 24 days recently and when the Eyre Highway was out due
to bushfires. This road will create another east–west link. It will not
only be good for freight movements, but also open up that entire region for
tourism potential. People who want to travel around Australia will be able to
go through the heart of Australia, from Winton to Alice Springs into Laverton.
That is the Outback Way. It is 2 720 kilometres long.
I thank the federal government for
its partnership. With this work, we will be able to seal the entire length of
road to make sure that it will not only
improve the freight east–west connectivity, but also create new jobs
and opportunities for everyone in the entire goldfields region,
including Laverton. Of course, it will also support the mining and exploration
activity that is occurring in that region. All up, it is a great project. We
are happy to partner with the commonwealth and, again, in this instance, have
the ability to spend $500 million in one part of regional WA.
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