❓ The Minister for Transport provides an update on the Bunbury Outer Ring Road (Wilman Wadandi Highway), highlighting its benefits for residents, tourism, and road safety, while also contrasting the government's infrastructure investment with the opposition's.
AnsweredQoN 743Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BUNBURY OUTER RING ROAD
743. Ms J.L. HANNS to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment to improve roads
in rural and regional Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the construction of the Bunbury
Outer Ring Road , now known as the Wilman Wadandi Highway?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what this important road project means for south west
residents, tourism and road safety?
743. Ms J.L. HANNS to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment to improve roads
in rural and regional Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the construction of the Bunbury
Outer Ring Road , now known as the Wilman Wadandi Highway?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what this important road project means for south west
residents, tourism and road safety?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Collie–Preston for the question. Of course, today
we announced the opening date for the new
Bunbury Outer Ring Road, the Wilman Wadandi Highway .
That will be open to full traffic on Monday,
16 December. That project will be transformational for the south west. Whether
it is tourists going down south, an Eaton, Bunbury, resident trying to
connect to the shops, see the doctor or pick up the kids from school, it will
make life easier. It is estimated that it will save at least 20 minutes'
travel time. I think that is probably a bit conservative. As we know, there is
a lot of congestion sometimes when people head down on long weekends or over the holidays, but at least 20 minutes will
be saved every time people travel along that road. It will remove the
need to go through 13 sets of traffic lights along the drive to Busselton. As I
said, currently there is very much a mix of tourist and local traffic. The
Shire of Dardanup, for example, has huge ambitions, as do other councils in
that area, to continue to grow its population and also the job-creating
industrial sites. This will also help to open up all those opportunities for
iconic tourism sites like the Ferguson Valley. We expect that over 15 000
people a day will use that road when it opens. For those visiting Margaret
River, for example, there will be a saving of 20 minutes in drive time and the
removal of 13 sets of traffic lights. This project was called for by the entire
south west community. We supported a lot of local jobs, as the member for
Bunbury highlighted today, with a significant amount of funding going to local
businesses, direct Aboriginal employment and a significant number of Aboriginal
traineeships. This project has delivered on many fronts.
We
are very proud of our investment in infrastructure across the state. Last year,
we spent over $11.4 billion on asset investment across the state. That
made sure we have the infrastructure to service our growing population. This
morning, the Western Australian population hit three million. I feel like we
need to do a conga line! We need to continue
to facilitate that infrastructure. Imagine if this government had not been elected in 2017. There would be no Albany ring-road. The trucks would still be
going through the centre of Albany. There would be no Bunbury Outer Ring Road
and the congestion in that area would grow exponentially
over time. Of course, there would be no Metronet. That means that those
thousands of people who are now catching the Yanchep rail line would not
be. Imagine the congestion on the freeway if those people were not getting onto
the train. That has been a record investment. As I said, this investment is not
only helping to support the very fast-growing population, but also making sure we can serve new residents in our outer
suburbs and throughout the regions over decades to come. That infrastructure spend has more than doubled from $5.1 billion since members
opposite were in government. We have received feedback about not only
their blueprint, but also the lunch that the Leader of the Liberal Party
attended. Questions were asked there like, ''What
are your infrastructure priorities?'' The response was, ''We don't
have any.'' Another question was, ''What's your
view on Westport?'' The response was, ''We don't have a view
on Westport.''
Ms S.E. Winton : Where it is?
It's not in there.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We had a quick
look. We could not find any of their infrastructure priorities because they do
not believe in infrastructure.
In relation to the last question
that the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence answered, the
Liberal Party wanted to block the Ruah development. That is what it did. The
Liberal Party–dominated City of Perth rejected —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please! Minister and Leader of the
Liberal Party, can you both just desist for a moment. Your interjections are
unruly and, minister, your question is not about Ruah. That is not your
portfolio area. I would ask you to return to the question you were asked.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am
referring to the significant investment that we have facilitated across the
state in infrastructure. But, seriously, the member made a two-minute statement
today after the Liberal Party tried to block the Ruah development. We had to call
it in. I had to call it in and I was criticised by the Liberal Party for
calling it in. I am incensed by that last commentary.
Back to our key infrastructure
program. Of course, supporting the state —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What was
that?
The SPEAKER : No, do not
respond. Sorry. That interjection was unruly and it is good that you did not
hear it.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What was
that? Is she called to order?
The SPEAKER : She will be
called to order when I choose to do so, thank you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We are
delivering infrastructure across the whole state. We are creating jobs and
making sure that we deliver the infrastructure to support our growing
population.
thank the member for Collie–Preston for the question. Of course, today
we announced the opening date for the new
Bunbury Outer Ring Road, the Wilman Wadandi Highway .
That will be open to full traffic on Monday,
16 December. That project will be transformational for the south west. Whether
it is tourists going down south, an Eaton, Bunbury, resident trying to
connect to the shops, see the doctor or pick up the kids from school, it will
make life easier. It is estimated that it will save at least 20 minutes'
travel time. I think that is probably a bit conservative. As we know, there is
a lot of congestion sometimes when people head down on long weekends or over the holidays, but at least 20 minutes will
be saved every time people travel along that road. It will remove the
need to go through 13 sets of traffic lights along the drive to Busselton. As I
said, currently there is very much a mix of tourist and local traffic. The
Shire of Dardanup, for example, has huge ambitions, as do other councils in
that area, to continue to grow its population and also the job-creating
industrial sites. This will also help to open up all those opportunities for
iconic tourism sites like the Ferguson Valley. We expect that over 15 000
people a day will use that road when it opens. For those visiting Margaret
River, for example, there will be a saving of 20 minutes in drive time and the
removal of 13 sets of traffic lights. This project was called for by the entire
south west community. We supported a lot of local jobs, as the member for
Bunbury highlighted today, with a significant amount of funding going to local
businesses, direct Aboriginal employment and a significant number of Aboriginal
traineeships. This project has delivered on many fronts.
We
are very proud of our investment in infrastructure across the state. Last year,
we spent over $11.4 billion on asset investment across the state. That
made sure we have the infrastructure to service our growing population. This
morning, the Western Australian population hit three million. I feel like we
need to do a conga line! We need to continue
to facilitate that infrastructure. Imagine if this government had not been elected in 2017. There would be no Albany ring-road. The trucks would still be
going through the centre of Albany. There would be no Bunbury Outer Ring Road
and the congestion in that area would grow exponentially
over time. Of course, there would be no Metronet. That means that those
thousands of people who are now catching the Yanchep rail line would not
be. Imagine the congestion on the freeway if those people were not getting onto
the train. That has been a record investment. As I said, this investment is not
only helping to support the very fast-growing population, but also making sure we can serve new residents in our outer
suburbs and throughout the regions over decades to come. That infrastructure spend has more than doubled from $5.1 billion since members
opposite were in government. We have received feedback about not only
their blueprint, but also the lunch that the Leader of the Liberal Party
attended. Questions were asked there like, ''What
are your infrastructure priorities?'' The response was, ''We don't
have any.'' Another question was, ''What's your
view on Westport?'' The response was, ''We don't have a view
on Westport.''
Ms S.E. Winton : Where it is?
It's not in there.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We had a quick
look. We could not find any of their infrastructure priorities because they do
not believe in infrastructure.
In relation to the last question
that the Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence answered, the
Liberal Party wanted to block the Ruah development. That is what it did. The
Liberal Party–dominated City of Perth rejected —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please! Minister and Leader of the
Liberal Party, can you both just desist for a moment. Your interjections are
unruly and, minister, your question is not about Ruah. That is not your
portfolio area. I would ask you to return to the question you were asked.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am
referring to the significant investment that we have facilitated across the
state in infrastructure. But, seriously, the member made a two-minute statement
today after the Liberal Party tried to block the Ruah development. We had to call
it in. I had to call it in and I was criticised by the Liberal Party for
calling it in. I am incensed by that last commentary.
Back to our key infrastructure
program. Of course, supporting the state —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What was
that?
The SPEAKER : No, do not
respond. Sorry. That interjection was unruly and it is good that you did not
hear it.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What was
that? Is she called to order?
The SPEAKER : She will be
called to order when I choose to do so, thank you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We are
delivering infrastructure across the whole state. We are creating jobs and
making sure that we deliver the infrastructure to support our growing
population.
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