❓ Mr. Blayney questions the Minister for Transport about the Dongara-Geraldton bypass route's impact on homes, heritage sites, and wetlands, requesting the business case and alternative routes. The Minister responds by outlining the history of the project, the public consultation process, and challenges the opposition to offer constructive alternatives.
AnsweredQoN 982Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DONGARA–GERALDTON
BYPASS ROUTE
982. Mr
I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the proposed Dongara–Geraldton
bypass route that will directly impact houses, including some that are heritage listed, and properties and livelihoods in
the Walkaway area, as well as the environmentally sensitive wetlands in
the Allanooka area. Will the minister table the business case for this route
and detail any alternative routes that Main Roads Western Australia is considering?
BYPASS ROUTE
982. Mr
I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the proposed Dongara–Geraldton
bypass route that will directly impact houses, including some that are heritage listed, and properties and livelihoods in
the Walkaway area, as well as the environmentally sensitive wetlands in
the Allanooka area. Will the minister table the business case for this route
and detail any alternative routes that Main Roads Western Australia is considering?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for
that question. As I have outlined before, this issue has been a hard one to
tackle over many years. The route definition work actually started under the
previous government. The inland route was the preferred model taken to the then
minister, as I understand it, in 2015–16, but nothing ever eventuated
in respect of dealing with the public. When we won government, a key issue put
to me was that certainty was needed. I met
with representatives from the relevant council who said they wanted certainty
and the route alignment finalised. They asked me if I could get on with
doing it, and that is what we sought to do. As the member knows, a corridor was released—not a route
alignment, but a corridor release—and that is out for public
consultation. All the issues the member raised about the impact on homes
and structures and other issues will be picked up as part of that consultation.
I urge the Nationals WA to work with the residents to put their views across.
The National Party can work with them, put in submissions, and use its talent
and expertise to work with the residents to make sure that the residents'
submissions highlight their concerns. That is why we are going out to public
consultation.
We also understood that this issue affected many people, so
we have extended the public consultation to 31 March. There is no specific route alignment; there is a preferred corridor. As
I said in a meeting in Geraldton and in television and radio interviews,
we are now going through the process of talking to everyone to see how we can
make sure that the alignment minimises the impact on private land ownership.
There is another point the member
needs to be aware of. Is the member's preferred solution the Brand
Highway? That would affect more landowners.
It is always easy to say not to do this one, because it impacts so many, but if Brand Highway is his proposed route, it would affect more. We will have
a careful, considered approach. I urge the Nationals WA that if they want to
engage in this, they should work with the landowners and put forward proposals
and alternatives. They should not just say no. They should put forward
alternatives. We are very keen to sit down
and talk about that. As a local representative, that is what the member should
be doing. When I was in opposition and there were issues in my
community, I worked with it to put forward its suggestions. I was not a lazy
opposition member who just fuelled fear in the public; I worked with people to
make sure that we could put forward good solutions.
that question. As I have outlined before, this issue has been a hard one to
tackle over many years. The route definition work actually started under the
previous government. The inland route was the preferred model taken to the then
minister, as I understand it, in 2015–16, but nothing ever eventuated
in respect of dealing with the public. When we won government, a key issue put
to me was that certainty was needed. I met
with representatives from the relevant council who said they wanted certainty
and the route alignment finalised. They asked me if I could get on with
doing it, and that is what we sought to do. As the member knows, a corridor was released—not a route
alignment, but a corridor release—and that is out for public
consultation. All the issues the member raised about the impact on homes
and structures and other issues will be picked up as part of that consultation.
I urge the Nationals WA to work with the residents to put their views across.
The National Party can work with them, put in submissions, and use its talent
and expertise to work with the residents to make sure that the residents'
submissions highlight their concerns. That is why we are going out to public
consultation.
We also understood that this issue affected many people, so
we have extended the public consultation to 31 March. There is no specific route alignment; there is a preferred corridor. As
I said in a meeting in Geraldton and in television and radio interviews,
we are now going through the process of talking to everyone to see how we can
make sure that the alignment minimises the impact on private land ownership.
There is another point the member
needs to be aware of. Is the member's preferred solution the Brand
Highway? That would affect more landowners.
It is always easy to say not to do this one, because it impacts so many, but if Brand Highway is his proposed route, it would affect more. We will have
a careful, considered approach. I urge the Nationals WA that if they want to
engage in this, they should work with the landowners and put forward proposals
and alternatives. They should not just say no. They should put forward
alternatives. We are very keen to sit down
and talk about that. As a local representative, that is what the member should
be doing. When I was in opposition and there were issues in my
community, I worked with it to put forward its suggestions. I was not a lazy
opposition member who just fuelled fear in the public; I worked with people to
make sure that we could put forward good solutions.
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