❓ The Minister for Transport outlines the Cook Labor government's investment in regional road infrastructure, contrasting it with the previous Liberal-National government's record. The response highlights increased spending, insourcing of road maintenance, and specific projects completed or underway.
AnsweredQoN 493Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE — REGIONS
493. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
strong record of investment in rural and regional Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house how this
investment is working to improve safety on our regional roads?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's record of delivery for
regional WA compares with the record of those opposite?
493. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
strong record of investment in rural and regional Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house how this
investment is working to improve safety on our regional roads?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's record of delivery for
regional WA compares with the record of those opposite?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for that question. We just heard in question time the history
of the Liberal–National government
when it came to the department of agriculture and food. It sacked workers and
ripped jobs out of regional WA. It also did that to Main Roads Western Australia.
It outsourced a lot of road maintenance, reduced the workforce in regional WA
and privatised rail lines. It did a lot to reduce the workforce across our transport
agencies in regional WA. We have been reversing that. We are employing more
people in regional WA and insourcing road maintenance. There is a new office
down in Manjimup, member. There are new depots and offices around the state and
there is record spending on regional roads.
I will always remember this: the
former Leader of the Nationals WA said that building roads was not a priority
for the National Party and that it did not want to spend royalties for regions
money on roads. It did not see that as a priority.
As a result, we have had a lot of catching up to do across the state. Some
major projects have been delivered. With the member for Albany, there
has been the delivery of the Albany ring-road, which is now completed. We have
already had early estimates that over 300 trucks have been removed from the
city centre every day as they are now able to use the Albany ring-road. There
has also been the delivery of the replacement Fitzroy River Bridge and we are
building more two-lane bridges. The new Brooking Channel Bridge is being built
at the moment, member for Kimberley. The member for Pilbara is probably out there inspecting the roads as we speak. There is
great work along the Great Northern Highway, including new passing lanes
near Newman, and a number of other projects, such as the removal of road–rail
intersections around Port Hedland.
Under the previous government, the
Bunbury Outer Ring Road project was just discussed but was never going to be
delivered. This government is in the last stages of delivering the Bunbury
Outer Ring Road, which will allow Bunbury to continue to grow, have a greater
residential population and take heavy traffic off the local roads. Together
with the Bussell Highway duplication, it will make travel much easier all
throughout the south west.
We also have the regional road safety
program. Over $1 billion has been spent on that program over the past six
years. Under the previous government, less than $20 million per annum was spent
on the regional road safety program and now it is over $200 million per annum.
As a result, 7 800 kilometres of road has been upgraded, and by the end of this
year we expect that over 10 000 kilometres of the regional highway network will
be upgraded. That is our commitment to regional WA—record spending on
roads, increasing and replacing the workforce in regional WA, and having
regional road safety as our number one focus on road spending. That is why we
have already improved over 7 800 kilometres of regional roads and will hit 10 000
kilometres by the end of this year. Our commitment is there for everyone to
see.
In relation to the Western Australian
Local Government Association and our contributions to local government, we have seen local government grants
for road building increase from about $160 million to $230 million.
Across the board, there has been record spending. The feedback that we get out
there in the community is on the record
amount of spending and the amount of roadworks being done in regional WA . Again, I thank everyone for their patience.
We will continue to invest in making our roads safer throughout regional
WA.
thank the member for that question. We just heard in question time the history
of the Liberal–National government
when it came to the department of agriculture and food. It sacked workers and
ripped jobs out of regional WA. It also did that to Main Roads Western Australia.
It outsourced a lot of road maintenance, reduced the workforce in regional WA
and privatised rail lines. It did a lot to reduce the workforce across our transport
agencies in regional WA. We have been reversing that. We are employing more
people in regional WA and insourcing road maintenance. There is a new office
down in Manjimup, member. There are new depots and offices around the state and
there is record spending on regional roads.
I will always remember this: the
former Leader of the Nationals WA said that building roads was not a priority
for the National Party and that it did not want to spend royalties for regions
money on roads. It did not see that as a priority.
As a result, we have had a lot of catching up to do across the state. Some
major projects have been delivered. With the member for Albany, there
has been the delivery of the Albany ring-road, which is now completed. We have
already had early estimates that over 300 trucks have been removed from the
city centre every day as they are now able to use the Albany ring-road. There
has also been the delivery of the replacement Fitzroy River Bridge and we are
building more two-lane bridges. The new Brooking Channel Bridge is being built
at the moment, member for Kimberley. The member for Pilbara is probably out there inspecting the roads as we speak. There is
great work along the Great Northern Highway, including new passing lanes
near Newman, and a number of other projects, such as the removal of road–rail
intersections around Port Hedland.
Under the previous government, the
Bunbury Outer Ring Road project was just discussed but was never going to be
delivered. This government is in the last stages of delivering the Bunbury
Outer Ring Road, which will allow Bunbury to continue to grow, have a greater
residential population and take heavy traffic off the local roads. Together
with the Bussell Highway duplication, it will make travel much easier all
throughout the south west.
We also have the regional road safety
program. Over $1 billion has been spent on that program over the past six
years. Under the previous government, less than $20 million per annum was spent
on the regional road safety program and now it is over $200 million per annum.
As a result, 7 800 kilometres of road has been upgraded, and by the end of this
year we expect that over 10 000 kilometres of the regional highway network will
be upgraded. That is our commitment to regional WA—record spending on
roads, increasing and replacing the workforce in regional WA, and having
regional road safety as our number one focus on road spending. That is why we
have already improved over 7 800 kilometres of regional roads and will hit 10 000
kilometres by the end of this year. Our commitment is there for everyone to
see.
In relation to the Western Australian
Local Government Association and our contributions to local government, we have seen local government grants
for road building increase from about $160 million to $230 million.
Across the board, there has been record spending. The feedback that we get out
there in the community is on the record
amount of spending and the amount of roadworks being done in regional WA . Again, I thank everyone for their patience.
We will continue to invest in making our roads safer throughout regional
WA.
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