❓ Opposition questions the Transport Minister about federal funding cuts for road projects and project completion guarantees. Minister confirms funding concerns and outlines communication with new federal ministers.
AnsweredQoN 552Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE
BUDGET 2013–14 — ROAD FUNDING
552. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the withdrawal of funding
by the Liberal–National federal government for the highly important
road projects on North West Coastal Highway and Great Northern Highway, thereby
creating a $481 million hole in the minister's budget.
(1) Did the
minister write to Mr Abbott prior to the election to seek the federal coalition's
support for these roads; and, if not, why not?
(2) Will the
minister guarantee that these vital road projects will still be completed on
schedule, as identified in the minister's budget, in August this year?
BUDGET 2013–14 — ROAD FUNDING
552. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the withdrawal of funding
by the Liberal–National federal government for the highly important
road projects on North West Coastal Highway and Great Northern Highway, thereby
creating a $481 million hole in the minister's budget.
(1) Did the
minister write to Mr Abbott prior to the election to seek the federal coalition's
support for these roads; and, if not, why not?
(2) Will the
minister guarantee that these vital road projects will still be completed on
schedule, as identified in the minister's budget, in August this year?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The
short answer is no and no. I think I have dealt with this in the house
previously. I will send the member for Collie–Preston a copy of the
transcript from Hansard if he would
like me to. I will repeat very briefly what I said at the time.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : It is a fact; I have spoken about this in the house. I cannot
help it if the member for Collie–Preston was not listening.
I have written to Warren Truss. I
said at the time —
Mr
D.J. Kelly : Who's he?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : He is the federal Leader of the National Party and the Deputy
Prime Minister of Australia. He is the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional
Development, member for Bassendean. He will be in charge of transport in this
country for a long time to come because of the nature of the federal election
result, which saw the member's side of politics completely repudiated
by the people of Western Australia. That is who he is. Are there any other
questions?
I move on. I said at the time that
following the federal election and once the ministry was known, we would write
to the relevant ministers. I have written three or four different letters —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : One letter was to the federal minister responsible for
fisheries because I have some interest in some of the federal marine parks. I
wrote one to the new federal Treasurer because I have some interest in how the
new federal government will treat iron ore fines for the purposes of the GST
process that the Premier outlined.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : The third letter was to Warren Truss. It basically says ''Dear
Warren'' and goes on and works through a range of things.
It is a very important question,
member for Collie–Preston, and we will break it down into a number of
components. For example, an announcement was made earlier this year by the then
federal government, my mate Albo, about a redistribution of some unspent money
out of what was called the NB1—that is, Nation Building Program 1
funding. Some of that unspent money was approved for putting an extra lane on
Kwinana Freeway south between Roe Highway and Armadale Road, which will be a
great outcome. Some of it went into passing lanes on Great Eastern Highway out
around Southern Cross, which again will be a great outcome, and there was a
small amount for some rail planning projects. I have written to the federal
government and asked for its confirmation around that package of funding.
The second issue I have sought
confirmation on is the enhanced commonwealth contribution that the federal
government offered during the election campaign to the much-needed Perth–Darwin
highway. I have sought clarification on that.
The third point we sought
clarification on was the grouping of what I call new announcements that were
embedded by the former federal government at the time of the budget. One of
those very important roads is Great Northern Highway, particularly the section
between Muchea and Wubin. It is the most degraded section of Great Northern
Highway. We are currently spending about $40 million upgrading a section of it
known as the Bindi Bindi bends, but there is more to be done. The second part
that the member rightly identified is the stretch of North West Coastal
Highway, effectively between what is known as Barradale—although the
Barradale roadhouse blew down and has not been rebuilt—which is Onslow,
and Minilya. If the member drives through that area, he will see that it is a
particularly dangerous section of North West Coastal Highway.
We have sought clarification from the commonwealth about its
commitments to those projects. The road funding model used in the state has the
commonwealth contributing 80 per cent and the state contributing 20 per cent.
The reality is—this is a serious reality for the state—if the
commonwealth withdraws money from those projects, it is unlikely that they will
go ahead. When I get confirmation from Hon Warren Truss, I will let the member
for Collie–Preston and the house know. It may well be our first
significant argument with the new commonwealth government. If that has to be
the case, so be it.
short answer is no and no. I think I have dealt with this in the house
previously. I will send the member for Collie–Preston a copy of the
transcript from Hansard if he would
like me to. I will repeat very briefly what I said at the time.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : It is a fact; I have spoken about this in the house. I cannot
help it if the member for Collie–Preston was not listening.
I have written to Warren Truss. I
said at the time —
Mr
D.J. Kelly : Who's he?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : He is the federal Leader of the National Party and the Deputy
Prime Minister of Australia. He is the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional
Development, member for Bassendean. He will be in charge of transport in this
country for a long time to come because of the nature of the federal election
result, which saw the member's side of politics completely repudiated
by the people of Western Australia. That is who he is. Are there any other
questions?
I move on. I said at the time that
following the federal election and once the ministry was known, we would write
to the relevant ministers. I have written three or four different letters —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : One letter was to the federal minister responsible for
fisheries because I have some interest in some of the federal marine parks. I
wrote one to the new federal Treasurer because I have some interest in how the
new federal government will treat iron ore fines for the purposes of the GST
process that the Premier outlined.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : The third letter was to Warren Truss. It basically says ''Dear
Warren'' and goes on and works through a range of things.
It is a very important question,
member for Collie–Preston, and we will break it down into a number of
components. For example, an announcement was made earlier this year by the then
federal government, my mate Albo, about a redistribution of some unspent money
out of what was called the NB1—that is, Nation Building Program 1
funding. Some of that unspent money was approved for putting an extra lane on
Kwinana Freeway south between Roe Highway and Armadale Road, which will be a
great outcome. Some of it went into passing lanes on Great Eastern Highway out
around Southern Cross, which again will be a great outcome, and there was a
small amount for some rail planning projects. I have written to the federal
government and asked for its confirmation around that package of funding.
The second issue I have sought
confirmation on is the enhanced commonwealth contribution that the federal
government offered during the election campaign to the much-needed Perth–Darwin
highway. I have sought clarification on that.
The third point we sought
clarification on was the grouping of what I call new announcements that were
embedded by the former federal government at the time of the budget. One of
those very important roads is Great Northern Highway, particularly the section
between Muchea and Wubin. It is the most degraded section of Great Northern
Highway. We are currently spending about $40 million upgrading a section of it
known as the Bindi Bindi bends, but there is more to be done. The second part
that the member rightly identified is the stretch of North West Coastal
Highway, effectively between what is known as Barradale—although the
Barradale roadhouse blew down and has not been rebuilt—which is Onslow,
and Minilya. If the member drives through that area, he will see that it is a
particularly dangerous section of North West Coastal Highway.
We have sought clarification from the commonwealth about its
commitments to those projects. The road funding model used in the state has the
commonwealth contributing 80 per cent and the state contributing 20 per cent.
The reality is—this is a serious reality for the state—if the
commonwealth withdraws money from those projects, it is unlikely that they will
go ahead. When I get confirmation from Hon Warren Truss, I will let the member
for Collie–Preston and the house know. It may well be our first
significant argument with the new commonwealth government. If that has to be
the case, so be it.
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