Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 39

❓ Hon Steve Martin questions the Minister for Transport regarding a study on recommissioning Tier 3 freight rail lines, seeking details on the study's completion, costs, and funding allocation. The Minister's response indicates the study is under government consideration and mentions negotiations to bring the freight rail network back into public hands.

AnsweredQoN 39Legislative Council

Asked

9 April 2025

Member

Hon Steve Martin

Portfolio

Transport

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the Minister's media release, dated 25 May 2023, in relation to the appointment of Agonis Group and Jacobs Australia to conduct a study on the recommissioning of sections of Tier 3 freight rail lines in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region, and I ask: (a) can the Minister please table a completed copy of the study; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) how much was Agonis Group paid to conduct the work; (d) how much was Jacobs Australia paid to conduct the work; (e) in reference to (c) and (d), were any other expenses incurred in relation to the study; (f) if yes to (e), what were they and how much was incurred; (g) noting that the media release says "the study and the first stage of works will be funded through a $72 million allocation from Package 1 of the $200 million Agricultural Supply Chain Improvement (ASCI) Program", how much was ultimately spent on the study; and (h) in reference to (g), how much of the $72 million figure remains unspent, to date?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

20 May 2025

Responded by

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport

Response time

5 days

(a)-(h) The results of the study are being considered by Government.
The State Government has now entered negotiations with Arc Infrastructure to bring WA’s freight rail network back into public hands after it was privatised by the Liberals and Nationals in 2000.

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