❓ Opposition MP questions the Transport Minister about the cost of advertising the Metronet project, given its budget blowouts. The Minister deflects, touting Metronet's benefits and criticising the opposition's past transport plans.
AnsweredQoN 906Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METRONET — ADVERTISING
906. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the taxpayer-funded
advertising campaign for Metronet projects, and note this Metronet program of
works originally promised to be delivered for under $3 billion is now
skyrocketing to probably more than $11 billion with no end to the continual
blowouts in sight.
(1) How much is
the minister spending on the advertising blitz to convince Western Australians
that these billions of dollars' worth of projects are being run
responsibly?
(2) Amid a cost-of-living
crisis, is it appropriate that the state government throws these taxpayer funds
at a navel-gazing campaign about these projects?
906. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the taxpayer-funded
advertising campaign for Metronet projects, and note this Metronet program of
works originally promised to be delivered for under $3 billion is now
skyrocketing to probably more than $11 billion with no end to the continual
blowouts in sight.
(1) How much is
the minister spending on the advertising blitz to convince Western Australians
that these billions of dollars' worth of projects are being run
responsibly?
(2) Amid a cost-of-living
crisis, is it appropriate that the state government throws these taxpayer funds
at a navel-gazing campaign about these projects?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question. I was hoping to get a question from the
member for Moore, the Leader of the
Opposition. He was out there on a trackless tram last week saying how he thinks
the trackless tram can deliver for regional towns. Talk about worrying
about overseas influences! Where did that trackless
tram come from, member? He is worried about where an international
environmental organisation came from, but where did this trackless tram
that he loves so much come from? He loves this trackless tram. Where did it
come from?
In relation to the Metronet issue, we
are seeing the biggest transformation of the public transport system in the
state's history.
Mr R.S. Love : The question is
how much are you wasting on the advertising campaign.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : If the member
wants detailed information, we have already provided that in the other place.
As we know with Metronet, a fair bit
of disruption is happening. Of course, we have to inform people about the
disruption. We shut the Armadale rail line. Does the member think we should not
inform people about that? Does he think we should keep it a secret and not tell
people about all the alternative services that we are providing? The member
thinks we should have shut the Armadale rail line. We are building 5.5
kilometres of elevated rail, seven new stations and an extension to Byford. We
know that the member does not support Metronet or essential services to suburbs
like Byford, Ellenbrook and Yanchep. The member does not believe in public
transport. When it comes to cost of living —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
asked the question; I will answer it.
Let us talk about cost of living.
Who capped public transport fares at two zones? We did, saving the people of Dawesville about $3 000 a year. There have been
thousands of dollars in savings through our Metronet capped zone fare
system. That is what we have done. We know that we have created some
inconvenience for the people of Armadale and
that entire corridor, so we have given them free public transport for six
months. That is a pretty good cost-of-living
initiative—free public transport for six months. Seventy-six per cent
of passengers who were catching trains are now getting free travel on
replacement buses. That is a pretty good cost-of-living initiative.
Let us go through the cost of travelling on public transport
versus cars. The estimated cost of holding a vehicle is between $15 000 and $20
000 per annum; we are looking at depreciation, vehicle costs and maintenance.
The more people we can get onto public transport, the better it will be for
their budget. This is one of the best initiatives we could do to support people
on low incomes, fixed incomes and across any income, because public transport
is a much cheaper travel option than using a motor vehicle. That has been
established time and again.
Yes, I am proud that the people of
Byford will get a brand new station, capped fares and a new rail line from Byford to the city. I am so proud that people in
the Ellenbrook corridor will get new train stations. I am so proud that people in Butler, Yanchep, Alkimos, Eglinton and Canning Vale will be getting
brand new public transport options. Of course, our priority is to benefit the
entire area. We are not only benefiting the people who use public transport; we
know that not everyone can use public transport, such as tradies going to their
jobs or going to other work sites, but the more people on public transport, the
fewer people on roads. We are saving people time and money by reducing
congestion on our roads.
Yes, we are informing the public.
The opposition spent $25 million on MAX light rail—a project it never
actually ever built. We did not create hats for projects that we did not
deliver! We did not create USB models for projects we have not delivered! I know
it is really strange, but we are advertising real things—things that
actually exist. We are advertising things that are happening in real life: the
biggest transformation of public transport in this state's history, and
the opposition cannot handle the fact that the people out there love it and
support it all the time. You guys want things to fail! It is desperate.
Let
us talk about cost of living for a second and regional capped airfares. We
understand that people in regional WA � do not have access to our capped
public transport fares. That is why we created a 50 per cent fare discount for
the Australind replacement; we halved the price of travel to Perth from
Bunbury and all the towns along the Australind route. For those who rely
on air travel, we introduced a two-zone capped fare for air travel for the
first time in this state's history. We will provide more updates on how
many people have used that service. As people have told me, this is the best
initiative ever rolled out in Western Australia in relation to cost of living.
thank the member for the question. I was hoping to get a question from the
member for Moore, the Leader of the
Opposition. He was out there on a trackless tram last week saying how he thinks
the trackless tram can deliver for regional towns. Talk about worrying
about overseas influences! Where did that trackless
tram come from, member? He is worried about where an international
environmental organisation came from, but where did this trackless tram
that he loves so much come from? He loves this trackless tram. Where did it
come from?
In relation to the Metronet issue, we
are seeing the biggest transformation of the public transport system in the
state's history.
Mr R.S. Love : The question is
how much are you wasting on the advertising campaign.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : If the member
wants detailed information, we have already provided that in the other place.
As we know with Metronet, a fair bit
of disruption is happening. Of course, we have to inform people about the
disruption. We shut the Armadale rail line. Does the member think we should not
inform people about that? Does he think we should keep it a secret and not tell
people about all the alternative services that we are providing? The member
thinks we should have shut the Armadale rail line. We are building 5.5
kilometres of elevated rail, seven new stations and an extension to Byford. We
know that the member does not support Metronet or essential services to suburbs
like Byford, Ellenbrook and Yanchep. The member does not believe in public
transport. When it comes to cost of living —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
asked the question; I will answer it.
Let us talk about cost of living.
Who capped public transport fares at two zones? We did, saving the people of Dawesville about $3 000 a year. There have been
thousands of dollars in savings through our Metronet capped zone fare
system. That is what we have done. We know that we have created some
inconvenience for the people of Armadale and
that entire corridor, so we have given them free public transport for six
months. That is a pretty good cost-of-living
initiative—free public transport for six months. Seventy-six per cent
of passengers who were catching trains are now getting free travel on
replacement buses. That is a pretty good cost-of-living initiative.
Let us go through the cost of travelling on public transport
versus cars. The estimated cost of holding a vehicle is between $15 000 and $20
000 per annum; we are looking at depreciation, vehicle costs and maintenance.
The more people we can get onto public transport, the better it will be for
their budget. This is one of the best initiatives we could do to support people
on low incomes, fixed incomes and across any income, because public transport
is a much cheaper travel option than using a motor vehicle. That has been
established time and again.
Yes, I am proud that the people of
Byford will get a brand new station, capped fares and a new rail line from Byford to the city. I am so proud that people in
the Ellenbrook corridor will get new train stations. I am so proud that people in Butler, Yanchep, Alkimos, Eglinton and Canning Vale will be getting
brand new public transport options. Of course, our priority is to benefit the
entire area. We are not only benefiting the people who use public transport; we
know that not everyone can use public transport, such as tradies going to their
jobs or going to other work sites, but the more people on public transport, the
fewer people on roads. We are saving people time and money by reducing
congestion on our roads.
Yes, we are informing the public.
The opposition spent $25 million on MAX light rail—a project it never
actually ever built. We did not create hats for projects that we did not
deliver! We did not create USB models for projects we have not delivered! I know
it is really strange, but we are advertising real things—things that
actually exist. We are advertising things that are happening in real life: the
biggest transformation of public transport in this state's history, and
the opposition cannot handle the fact that the people out there love it and
support it all the time. You guys want things to fail! It is desperate.
Let
us talk about cost of living for a second and regional capped airfares. We
understand that people in regional WA � do not have access to our capped
public transport fares. That is why we created a 50 per cent fare discount for
the Australind replacement; we halved the price of travel to Perth from
Bunbury and all the towns along the Australind route. For those who rely
on air travel, we introduced a two-zone capped fare for air travel for the
first time in this state's history. We will provide more updates on how
many people have used that service. As people have told me, this is the best
initiative ever rolled out in Western Australia in relation to cost of living.
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