❓ Ms. Saffioti questions the Minister for Transport regarding the cost escalation of the Forrestfield-Airport Link project, specifically concerning railcars. The Minister's response is evasive, leading to repeated points of order.
AnsweredQoN 703Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FORRESTFIELD—AIRPORT
LINK
703. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Minister for
Transport:
I refer to the minister's
claim that the $2.2 billion cost of the Forrestfield–Airport Link
project was a fully escalated cost.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that the cost of the railcars, a key component of the new
Forrestfield line, is not escalated?
(2) What other
components of the airport rail line are not escalated in this $2.2 billion
figure?
LINK
703. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Minister for
Transport:
I refer to the minister's
claim that the $2.2 billion cost of the Forrestfield–Airport Link
project was a fully escalated cost.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that the cost of the railcars, a key component of the new
Forrestfield line, is not escalated?
(2) What other
components of the airport rail line are not escalated in this $2.2 billion
figure?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
am always pleased when I am asked further questions about the Forrestfield–Airport
Link, because it gives me the opportunity to extol the virtues of this
world-class public transport solution that the government will deliver to the
airport and beyond to Forrestfield. In respect of the railcars, we have already
advised the opposition that we are progressing with C-class railcars, but they
will not be used on that line; they will be transferred into higher density
areas, and we will be using the existing B-class cars on the airport line.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! Member for West Swan!
Mr
D.C. NALDER : I have already said that we have escalated the cost because of
the delay across the whole project. We have allowed for funding of additional
C-class cars, and the cost is coming in at a lot less —
Point of Order
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : I am well aware of the issue with C-class railcars, but
I am asking whether the railcars were escalated? That is what I am asking.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.C. NALDER : I
am going to get there. We have said that we have escalated the cost. We have
allowed for $2.2 billion across the total project. We have not gone to tender
at this point. We have said that we will not engage in all the stories around
what the pricing is on individual —
Point of Order
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : This information was produced in a pamphlet by the
member for Forrestfield. It is information that should be made public —
Mr P.T. Miles :
What is the point of order?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Wanneroo, you do not need to know what the point
of order is; I have to understand it. I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I
again ask: is that figure an escalated cost or is it not escalated? It is a
simple question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
D.C. NALDER : The member for West Swan can ask the question in whatever form
she wants. It is my privilege to answer it how I see fit. We have said all the
way through —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : We have said all the way through that we have provided a 90 per
cent estimate of the cost, as far as the department has determined, for the
Forrestfield–Airport Link. This government has been a lot more
responsible than governments in the past because it has included railcars, car
parking and the rail line. We are actually looking at the complete project in
our costing. We will not have finite details on the costing until we get the
tenders in across all aspects. I do not understand the relevance of the
question.
Point of Order
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The question
was: are the costings for the railcar escalated or not escalated? That is the
question; what is the answer?
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
D.C. NALDER : I have answered this in the best way possible. We need to go
out to tender on the C-class railcars and we will come back with details in due
course.
am always pleased when I am asked further questions about the Forrestfield–Airport
Link, because it gives me the opportunity to extol the virtues of this
world-class public transport solution that the government will deliver to the
airport and beyond to Forrestfield. In respect of the railcars, we have already
advised the opposition that we are progressing with C-class railcars, but they
will not be used on that line; they will be transferred into higher density
areas, and we will be using the existing B-class cars on the airport line.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! Member for West Swan!
Mr
D.C. NALDER : I have already said that we have escalated the cost because of
the delay across the whole project. We have allowed for funding of additional
C-class cars, and the cost is coming in at a lot less —
Point of Order
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : I am well aware of the issue with C-class railcars, but
I am asking whether the railcars were escalated? That is what I am asking.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.C. NALDER : I
am going to get there. We have said that we have escalated the cost. We have
allowed for $2.2 billion across the total project. We have not gone to tender
at this point. We have said that we will not engage in all the stories around
what the pricing is on individual —
Point of Order
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : This information was produced in a pamphlet by the
member for Forrestfield. It is information that should be made public —
Mr P.T. Miles :
What is the point of order?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Wanneroo, you do not need to know what the point
of order is; I have to understand it. I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I
again ask: is that figure an escalated cost or is it not escalated? It is a
simple question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
D.C. NALDER : The member for West Swan can ask the question in whatever form
she wants. It is my privilege to answer it how I see fit. We have said all the
way through —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : We have said all the way through that we have provided a 90 per
cent estimate of the cost, as far as the department has determined, for the
Forrestfield–Airport Link. This government has been a lot more
responsible than governments in the past because it has included railcars, car
parking and the rail line. We are actually looking at the complete project in
our costing. We will not have finite details on the costing until we get the
tenders in across all aspects. I do not understand the relevance of the
question.
Point of Order
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The question
was: are the costings for the railcar escalated or not escalated? That is the
question; what is the answer?
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
D.C. NALDER : I have answered this in the best way possible. We need to go
out to tender on the C-class railcars and we will come back with details in due
course.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.