❓ Question regarding the Premier's refusal to build Roe Highway Stages 8 and 9, citing job creation and congestion relief. The Premier defends the decision, highlighting alternative transport solutions and long-term planning.
AnsweredQoN 604Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROE HIGHWAY STAGES 8 AND
9
604. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
Can the Premier explain to the
people of the southern suburbs why he is refusing to build the job-creating and
congestion-busting Roe 8 and Roe 9 project?
Government members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I want
to hear this.
9
604. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
Can the Premier explain to the
people of the southern suburbs why he is refusing to build the job-creating and
congestion-busting Roe 8 and Roe 9 project?
Government members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I want
to hear this.
AnswerView source ↗
It may have passed the Leader of the
Opposition by, but at the state election two and a half years ago we committed
to not building the road to nowhere. We took a policy to the state election. It
might have also passed the Leader of the Opposition by, but in eight and a half
years of a Liberal–National government, it did not build the road.
Members might recall the former Premier was very reluctant about that
particular proposition and the member for Bateman challenged his leadership
over it, and lost. Our position is clear. Just so the opposition understands:
the road itself does not reach Fremantle port. Fremantle port is going to fill.
It is not a solution to the freight and trade issues confronting Western Australia.
Under our government, we have had enormous success in getting more freight onto
rail as opposed to the last government, which put no effort into rail. The
Liberal Party seems to have a pathological and an ideological obsession against
rail. Our efforts have been successful in getting more freight on rail.
A report from the Westport
Taskforce, which will be coming down in coming months, will outline a range of
options about how to deal with the long-term issues. One of the things I want
to be clear with the house about is this state needs some long-term thinking.
We need to actually think about infrastructure for the next 50 to 100 years;
not what the Liberal Party might think solves a political issue in the next two
years. Our approach to this has always been about what suits the interests of
future generations if we are going to spend billions of dollars. The Liberal
Party's approach is to build a road through a wetland that stops three
kilometres from the port and then funnel all those trucks into the middle of
East Fremantle. That seems to be its approach to this issue and it seems to
think that solves the problem. Let me explain that it does not solve the
problem. I think the Leader of the Opposition is pretty ill informed when it
comes to issues around the southern suburbs. When asked, she said, ''That's
something you need to ask Dean about.'' If the Leader of the Opposition
needs to ask Dean about things, the Liberal Party is in a lot of trouble!
Opposition by, but at the state election two and a half years ago we committed
to not building the road to nowhere. We took a policy to the state election. It
might have also passed the Leader of the Opposition by, but in eight and a half
years of a Liberal–National government, it did not build the road.
Members might recall the former Premier was very reluctant about that
particular proposition and the member for Bateman challenged his leadership
over it, and lost. Our position is clear. Just so the opposition understands:
the road itself does not reach Fremantle port. Fremantle port is going to fill.
It is not a solution to the freight and trade issues confronting Western Australia.
Under our government, we have had enormous success in getting more freight onto
rail as opposed to the last government, which put no effort into rail. The
Liberal Party seems to have a pathological and an ideological obsession against
rail. Our efforts have been successful in getting more freight on rail.
A report from the Westport
Taskforce, which will be coming down in coming months, will outline a range of
options about how to deal with the long-term issues. One of the things I want
to be clear with the house about is this state needs some long-term thinking.
We need to actually think about infrastructure for the next 50 to 100 years;
not what the Liberal Party might think solves a political issue in the next two
years. Our approach to this has always been about what suits the interests of
future generations if we are going to spend billions of dollars. The Liberal
Party's approach is to build a road through a wetland that stops three
kilometres from the port and then funnel all those trucks into the middle of
East Fremantle. That seems to be its approach to this issue and it seems to
think that solves the problem. Let me explain that it does not solve the
problem. I think the Leader of the Opposition is pretty ill informed when it
comes to issues around the southern suburbs. When asked, she said, ''That's
something you need to ask Dean about.'' If the Leader of the Opposition
needs to ask Dean about things, the Liberal Party is in a lot of trouble!
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