❓ Opposition asks Treasurer about WA infrastructure projects potentially cut due to a federal review. Treasurer avoids directly answering, highlighting WA's infrastructure needs and economic growth, deferring to the federal government for review outcomes.
AnsweredQoN 801Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
INFRASTRUCTURE — FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING
801. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
I refer to reports today of the
federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local
Government discussing the Albanese government's so-called 90-day
infrastructure review, which is now in its 191 st day, and its impact
on Western Australian projects, and saying that she was ''working in
lockstep with the WA government'' and
there were only a ''small amount'' of WA projects that ''won't
be proceeding''. Given that the federal minister is working in lockstep
with the Treasurer, can she confirm to the house which Western Australian projects
will not be proceeding?
801. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
I refer to reports today of the
federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local
Government discussing the Albanese government's so-called 90-day
infrastructure review, which is now in its 191 st day, and its impact
on Western Australian projects, and saying that she was ''working in
lockstep with the WA government'' and
there were only a ''small amount'' of WA projects that ''won't
be proceeding''. Given that the federal minister is working in lockstep
with the Treasurer, can she confirm to the house which Western Australian projects
will not be proceeding?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. In relation to the
infrastructure review, that is being undertaken by the federal
government, of course, as a survey of the infrastructure pipeline across the
nation. As I have said a number of times, I am very proud of the infrastructure
that we are delivering across the state. The feedback that I get from everybody
is about the amount of work that is happening, whether it is the
transformational Metronet project, a project
the opposition opposes; the Bunbury Outer Ring Road; the Albany ring road and
the benefits that will deliver; or the incredible outcome of the Fitzroy
River Bridge, member for Kimberley, and the works that we are undertaking. We
have a record infrastructure spend and we will continue to deliver
infrastructure across the state.
Of
course, the federal government inherited a set of books and some projects,
particularly over east, the cost increases of which were far more
significant than over here. In fact, I understand that the cost pressures in
our state budget are very minimal compared with what happened over east. Over
there, when a $10 billion project increases in cost, that is a major issue. We
do not have projects of that size and we have not experienced cost increases
similar to those in the other states.
I am very keen to continue to
deliver the projects that we have. That is what I have said and I will continue
to say it. We have a good set of projects that will help drive economic growth
around the state and help reduce congestion. WA is a growing state; it is a development
state. We all know it. We see it. Every second person in the business world who
comes up to us has a project that they want to deliver in WA. It is actually
incredible —
Mr R.S. Love : Which projects
are going to be cut?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Leader of
the Opposition will have to ask the federal government. In relation to this, I have
not seen or received the outcome of that review. I am presenting the case for Western
Australia. The case for Western Australia is that we are an infrastructure
state, we are a growing state and we need to continue to support infrastructure
projects around the state.
thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. In relation to the
infrastructure review, that is being undertaken by the federal
government, of course, as a survey of the infrastructure pipeline across the
nation. As I have said a number of times, I am very proud of the infrastructure
that we are delivering across the state. The feedback that I get from everybody
is about the amount of work that is happening, whether it is the
transformational Metronet project, a project
the opposition opposes; the Bunbury Outer Ring Road; the Albany ring road and
the benefits that will deliver; or the incredible outcome of the Fitzroy
River Bridge, member for Kimberley, and the works that we are undertaking. We
have a record infrastructure spend and we will continue to deliver
infrastructure across the state.
Of
course, the federal government inherited a set of books and some projects,
particularly over east, the cost increases of which were far more
significant than over here. In fact, I understand that the cost pressures in
our state budget are very minimal compared with what happened over east. Over
there, when a $10 billion project increases in cost, that is a major issue. We
do not have projects of that size and we have not experienced cost increases
similar to those in the other states.
I am very keen to continue to
deliver the projects that we have. That is what I have said and I will continue
to say it. We have a good set of projects that will help drive economic growth
around the state and help reduce congestion. WA is a growing state; it is a development
state. We all know it. We see it. Every second person in the business world who
comes up to us has a project that they want to deliver in WA. It is actually
incredible —
Mr R.S. Love : Which projects
are going to be cut?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Leader of
the Opposition will have to ask the federal government. In relation to this, I have
not seen or received the outcome of that review. I am presenting the case for Western
Australia. The case for Western Australia is that we are an infrastructure
state, we are a growing state and we need to continue to support infrastructure
projects around the state.
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.