❓ Ms. Baker asks about the Tonkin Gap project and its impact on jobs, businesses, commuters, and communities. The Minister responds with an update on the project's progress, highlighting benefits like reduced congestion and improved safety, while also criticising the National Party's transport policies.
AnsweredQoN 584Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TONKIN GAP PROJECT
584. Ms L.L. BAKER to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the record investment in job-creating transport infrastructure being
delivered by the Cook Labor government across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the construction of the Tonkin Gap project,
including the works to support the Metronet Morley–Ellenbrook line that
runs through Bayswater—just mentioning it?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house what these significant investments means for
local jobs, business, commuters and communities?
584. Ms L.L. BAKER to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the record investment in job-creating transport infrastructure being
delivered by the Cook Labor government across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the construction of the Tonkin Gap project,
including the works to support the Metronet Morley–Ellenbrook line that
runs through Bayswater—just mentioning it?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house what these significant investments means for
local jobs, business, commuters and communities?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Maylands for
that question.
(1)–(2) The
Tonkin Gap project is progressing very well and residents in that area would acknowledge
that, but I thank all residents along the entire corridor. It has been a massive
project with lot of different traffic management strategies and diversions, but
we are nearing the end of that project, which is very exciting for everyone
involved.
It
will eliminate one of the key bottlenecks across the system along the Tonkin
Highway in that area. It will save commuters time, reduce congestion and
improve safety. We have done a lot of work so far. A new bridge over the Swan
River has been built, along with new noise walls put in. After negotiations with the member for Belmont's local
residents, we reached a compromise and now have new perspex noise walls.
Some people complain because they cannot look at the river, but it does stop
the noise going to into the local community, which is good from the member for Maylands'
perspective, too.
New
bridges have been built over Guildford Road, the Midland line and Railway
Parade. The Great Eastern Highway
west-bound entry loop onto Tonkin Highway is now in use and works continue on
the east-bound ramp. Collector–distributor lanes are set to open
south-bound. New signage is about to be installed, and a new principal shared
path will be built along that area, too. The project is going very well.
As members know, we are committed to
city projects as well as regional projects. We are a party for the whole of Western
Australia. Of course, the Nationals have diverted their attention from regional
WA to metro WA. I cannot help but look at some of the comments from the Leader
of the Opposition about the seats he is
targeting. The seat of Nedlands, member, because of the National Party's
environmental policies —
Point of Order
Dr D.J.
HONEY : I have a point of order —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Order, please! I hope people have had their little bit of
fun with that and we can now hear the point of order in silence.
Dr D.J. HONEY : Madam
Speaker, I know you are generous, but the answer has drifted well away from
anything that was asked of her.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I suspect
you are making an analogy here, so I ask you to answer the question asked, and
if it is an analogy, you might make it clear.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is an
analogy—and a very good one, too!
Then, of course, my personal
favourite is that the National Party will be targeting the seat of Fremantle
because it believes in taking trucks off the road and putting more freight on
rail, members. The National Party that sold and privatised the railway lines,
shut down the regional rail lines and opposes Westport and Metronet, is now
somehow going to appeal to the good folk of Fremantle, member for Fremantle,
about how it wants to put more freight on rail.
This is the party that is solely responsible for moving freight off rail and
onto roads in regional Western Australia . I cannot wait for the National
Party to give us the names of more seats that it will be targeting because this
will give me enough material to last until at least the end of this year!
National Party members opposite want to compare their track record on rail with
ours of investing in Metronet, and moving the amount of rail freight into the
port of Fremantle from about nine per cent
under the coalition government to over 20 per cent. This government has
provided a subsidy to support freight and rail. We have projects across Western
Australia from the wheatbelt through to midwest to upgrade, with industry,
regional rail sidings and tracks to support more grain on rail throughout WA. We have conducted projects such as the feasibility
study in relation to Greenbushes. There are many projects. I look forward to hearing about the seats that the Nationals will be targeting.
Perhaps the member for Cottesloe should be watching his back because the ''MetroNats''
are on their way, and while they are targeting our seats, I am sure that they
will also be targeting the member for Cottesloe's electorate with its
record on the environment.
that question.
(1)–(2) The
Tonkin Gap project is progressing very well and residents in that area would acknowledge
that, but I thank all residents along the entire corridor. It has been a massive
project with lot of different traffic management strategies and diversions, but
we are nearing the end of that project, which is very exciting for everyone
involved.
It
will eliminate one of the key bottlenecks across the system along the Tonkin
Highway in that area. It will save commuters time, reduce congestion and
improve safety. We have done a lot of work so far. A new bridge over the Swan
River has been built, along with new noise walls put in. After negotiations with the member for Belmont's local
residents, we reached a compromise and now have new perspex noise walls.
Some people complain because they cannot look at the river, but it does stop
the noise going to into the local community, which is good from the member for Maylands'
perspective, too.
New
bridges have been built over Guildford Road, the Midland line and Railway
Parade. The Great Eastern Highway
west-bound entry loop onto Tonkin Highway is now in use and works continue on
the east-bound ramp. Collector–distributor lanes are set to open
south-bound. New signage is about to be installed, and a new principal shared
path will be built along that area, too. The project is going very well.
As members know, we are committed to
city projects as well as regional projects. We are a party for the whole of Western
Australia. Of course, the Nationals have diverted their attention from regional
WA to metro WA. I cannot help but look at some of the comments from the Leader
of the Opposition about the seats he is
targeting. The seat of Nedlands, member, because of the National Party's
environmental policies —
Point of Order
Dr D.J.
HONEY : I have a point of order —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Order, please! I hope people have had their little bit of
fun with that and we can now hear the point of order in silence.
Dr D.J. HONEY : Madam
Speaker, I know you are generous, but the answer has drifted well away from
anything that was asked of her.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I suspect
you are making an analogy here, so I ask you to answer the question asked, and
if it is an analogy, you might make it clear.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is an
analogy—and a very good one, too!
Then, of course, my personal
favourite is that the National Party will be targeting the seat of Fremantle
because it believes in taking trucks off the road and putting more freight on
rail, members. The National Party that sold and privatised the railway lines,
shut down the regional rail lines and opposes Westport and Metronet, is now
somehow going to appeal to the good folk of Fremantle, member for Fremantle,
about how it wants to put more freight on rail.
This is the party that is solely responsible for moving freight off rail and
onto roads in regional Western Australia . I cannot wait for the National
Party to give us the names of more seats that it will be targeting because this
will give me enough material to last until at least the end of this year!
National Party members opposite want to compare their track record on rail with
ours of investing in Metronet, and moving the amount of rail freight into the
port of Fremantle from about nine per cent
under the coalition government to over 20 per cent. This government has
provided a subsidy to support freight and rail. We have projects across Western
Australia from the wheatbelt through to midwest to upgrade, with industry,
regional rail sidings and tracks to support more grain on rail throughout WA. We have conducted projects such as the feasibility
study in relation to Greenbushes. There are many projects. I look forward to hearing about the seats that the Nationals will be targeting.
Perhaps the member for Cottesloe should be watching his back because the ''MetroNats''
are on their way, and while they are targeting our seats, I am sure that they
will also be targeting the member for Cottesloe's electorate with its
record on the environment.
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