❓ The Minister outlines the differences in funding approaches for the Perth to Bunbury Highway, criticising the federal coalition's initial lower funding pledge and subsequent conditional offer, while highlighting the Labor government's commitment and past requests for federal assistance.
AnsweredQoN 558Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Can the minister advise the House of the difference between the Labor Government’s approach and the coalition’s approach to the funding of the Perth to Bunbury highway? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. Yesterday we talked about a press release by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, in which the federal Liberals or the federal coalition - Mr C.J. Barnett: Spit it out! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. Yesterday we talked about a press release by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, in which the federal Liberals or the federal coalition - Mr C.J. Barnett: Spit it out! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
I thank the member for the question. Yesterday we talked about a press release by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, in which the federal Liberals or the federal coalition - Mr C.J. Barnett: Spit it out! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Spit it out! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. Yesterday we talked about a press release by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, in which the federal Liberals or the federal coalition - Mr C.J. Barnett: Spit it out! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
I thank the member for the question. Yesterday we talked about a press release by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, in which the federal Liberals or the federal coalition - Mr C.J. Barnett: Spit it out! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Spit it out! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Sledge is at it again! He is such a paragon of perfection! He is just so intolerant of any problem. None of us can aspire to the god-like status of the Leader of the Opposition. We just press on with our humanity. Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Yesterday, the federal coalition played catch-up because, as the member for Peel knows, the Latham team pledged the full $170 million in funding to go halves on the very important Perth to Bunbury highway project. The federal coalition had pledged only their version of half, which was 43 per cent. Yesterday, the coalition played catch-up, and from a sum of $410 million around the country, Mr Anderson gave us a paltry $20 million, which is the full 50 per cent of funding for this important project. Now we find that there is actually a string attached; that is, we shall get the money only if construction is started in 2006. As we pointed out, this enormous project requires an enormous amount of preparation; it requires land acquisition, design and environmental approvals. Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
The SPEAKER: I call the Leader the National Party to order for the first time. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Thank you Mr Speaker. What particularly galls us is that in 2001 we wrote to the federal Government and said that we thought it was a good idea to start this program in 2006, but that we needed to get a commitment that it would assist us with that project. It wrote back to us in 2002 and said that it did not have any money, and it was not prepared to commit to the project at that stage. We wrote to the federal Government again and asked for just $5 million to match our funding, so that we could get on with the job of planning for it. In 2002, the federal Government refused to do that. We wrote again in 2003, when Senator Ian Campbell came to office. We thought that, because we had a Western Australian in the federal Government, we might have a bit more of a chance. In 2003 we wrote and asked for some sort of forward commitment on this project. Again, it could not give a commitment. The State Government wrote again in May 2004 and said that the point was being reached at which it could not start the project until early 2007, and asked the federal Government to come on board. Once again, the answer was “no”. Suddenly, just before a federal election, the federal Government finds the money, and says it wants the road built tomorrow. That just cannot be done. The Government is working at full bore to get all the designs, approvals and tender processes ready, and it will commence construction of the road in 2007. Let us hope that a Latham Labor Government is in power federally, so that Western Australia can gets its full just deserts in federal assistance.
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