❓ Question on Notice regarding the $400 million allocation in the state budget for the Westport project, including its impact and support from the opposition. The Minister's answer details the budget allocation and implies some opposition support, albeit with political jabs.
AnsweredQoN 515Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTPORT — 2021–22 STATE BUDGET
515. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Ports:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's strong investment in projects that will set up Western Australia
for the future.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house what the $400 million allocated in the state budget
for Westport will mean for this significant job-creating and economic-driving
project?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house what support the government has received for
Westport from those in the opposition?
515. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Ports:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's strong investment in projects that will set up Western Australia
for the future.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house what the $400 million allocated in the state budget
for Westport will mean for this significant job-creating and economic-driving
project?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house what support the government has received for
Westport from those in the opposition?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I thank the
member for Cockburn for that question. As the Premier outlined, this state
budget will allow us to fund infrastructure into the future—a hospital,
social housing, addressing climate change, a number of initiatives, and, of
course, also Westport. The budget provides a down payment of $400 million to implement a new port in Kwinana, which is needed
for a trading state like Western Australia. A new port will facilitate
new growth opportunities, new trade opportunities and make sure that we
continue our drive of WA being a major trading state in the nation. In this
state budget, $400 million is allocated to go into a new account very much
targeted at strategic land acquisition. This is about how not only the port
will look, but also the road and rail connections into that port will play into
the future. We will undertake strategic land acquisition and are also planning
road and rail corridors. The maps show the role that Anketell will play in
being a major corridor that will feed into the new port, which, of course, will
link into the Tonkin Highway projects and the major Tonkin Highway upgrades
that we are undertaking. The $400 million for the Westport project will, of
course, go through all the right approvals and business case development. We
have the Tonkin Highway transformation and we are moving a record amount of
freight onto rail. We will continue to do that. We are upgrading High Street,
which will be formally finished very soon, and, of course, we are developing
intermodals.
(2) The member also asked whether anyone else in the
opposition supports this project. I know the member for Cockburn is very
interested. Flicking through those WhatsApp messages from ''The Clan''
members, one of the highlights was an
exchange involving Mr McCoy, who I think ran against the member for Jandakot.
In early 2018, he was talking about the member for Cottesloe, whom he
refers to as David Honey, who is, of course, the member for Cottesloe. Mr McCoy
says that the member for Cottesloe's supporters —
are out in force calling around to
garner support for him saying he will ''bring big business back into the
fold''.
There are a couple of emojis. The
message from Mr McCoy continues —
Yes.
I had a phone call from Chris Oughton CEO of Kwinana Industries Council (KIC).
The usual suspects in the Division are pushing for the same. I simply
said ''practically speaking I have nothing to do this and as you know, I
live around the corner � in Wellard �''
Honey is the current President of the
KIC Board. There is a lot to this � but he waxed on about Roe 8 being a ''terrible
project'' and that Honey knows how to get the Westport project going and
to work favourably for the party.
Mr D.A. Templeman : That's
the real McCoy!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There are two
McCoys!
I repeat —
Honey
knows how to get the Westport project going and to work favourably for the
party. The usual stuff �
There is always room on this side
for the member for Cottesloe. Actually, there is not, but we will make room for
him. There is always room.
Mr M. McGowan : And we will
give him preselection for Cottesloe!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Actually, I think
we would!
Of
course, there had been a bipartisan approach to supporting a new port in
Kwinana. It has been in the planning f or decades. The former, former, former Minister for Transport, Mr Troy
Buswell, was a strong advocate for it and said that we would need a new
port by 2021, as I recall. There always has been a bipartisan approach. We know
that as a result of some of the shenanigans that happened around the federal
election a while ago, it basically positioned the Liberal Party on the other
side, even though we know that in his heart of hearts, the Leader of the
Liberal Party in WA supports the Westport project.
member for Cockburn for that question. As the Premier outlined, this state
budget will allow us to fund infrastructure into the future—a hospital,
social housing, addressing climate change, a number of initiatives, and, of
course, also Westport. The budget provides a down payment of $400 million to implement a new port in Kwinana, which is needed
for a trading state like Western Australia. A new port will facilitate
new growth opportunities, new trade opportunities and make sure that we
continue our drive of WA being a major trading state in the nation. In this
state budget, $400 million is allocated to go into a new account very much
targeted at strategic land acquisition. This is about how not only the port
will look, but also the road and rail connections into that port will play into
the future. We will undertake strategic land acquisition and are also planning
road and rail corridors. The maps show the role that Anketell will play in
being a major corridor that will feed into the new port, which, of course, will
link into the Tonkin Highway projects and the major Tonkin Highway upgrades
that we are undertaking. The $400 million for the Westport project will, of
course, go through all the right approvals and business case development. We
have the Tonkin Highway transformation and we are moving a record amount of
freight onto rail. We will continue to do that. We are upgrading High Street,
which will be formally finished very soon, and, of course, we are developing
intermodals.
(2) The member also asked whether anyone else in the
opposition supports this project. I know the member for Cockburn is very
interested. Flicking through those WhatsApp messages from ''The Clan''
members, one of the highlights was an
exchange involving Mr McCoy, who I think ran against the member for Jandakot.
In early 2018, he was talking about the member for Cottesloe, whom he
refers to as David Honey, who is, of course, the member for Cottesloe. Mr McCoy
says that the member for Cottesloe's supporters —
are out in force calling around to
garner support for him saying he will ''bring big business back into the
fold''.
There are a couple of emojis. The
message from Mr McCoy continues —
Yes.
I had a phone call from Chris Oughton CEO of Kwinana Industries Council (KIC).
The usual suspects in the Division are pushing for the same. I simply
said ''practically speaking I have nothing to do this and as you know, I
live around the corner � in Wellard �''
Honey is the current President of the
KIC Board. There is a lot to this � but he waxed on about Roe 8 being a ''terrible
project'' and that Honey knows how to get the Westport project going and
to work favourably for the party.
Mr D.A. Templeman : That's
the real McCoy!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There are two
McCoys!
I repeat —
Honey
knows how to get the Westport project going and to work favourably for the
party. The usual stuff �
There is always room on this side
for the member for Cottesloe. Actually, there is not, but we will make room for
him. There is always room.
Mr M. McGowan : And we will
give him preselection for Cottesloe!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Actually, I think
we would!
Of
course, there had been a bipartisan approach to supporting a new port in
Kwinana. It has been in the planning f or decades. The former, former, former Minister for Transport, Mr Troy
Buswell, was a strong advocate for it and said that we would need a new
port by 2021, as I recall. There always has been a bipartisan approach. We know
that as a result of some of the shenanigans that happened around the federal
election a while ago, it basically positioned the Liberal Party on the other
side, even though we know that in his heart of hearts, the Leader of the
Liberal Party in WA supports the Westport project.
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