❓ Hon Steve Martin questions the Transport Minister regarding the Westport project, specifically concerning the cost-benefit analysis and the government's decision-making process. The Minister defends the decision, citing factors beyond cost-benefit ratios.
AnsweredQoN 209Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Westport
209. Hon Steve Martin to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister
for Transport:
I refer to
Infrastructure WA's report into Westport, which shows a stronger benefit–cost
ratio in favour of the extend Fremantle option over the Westport now option.
(1) What was the actual dollar amount for cost
used to calculate the benefit–cost ratio for:
(a) the Westport now option; and
(b) the extend Fremantle option?
(2) Has the Cook government commissioned any
further work to undertake a cost–benefit analysis between the two
options?
(3) Does the Cook government agree or disagree
with the BCR finding?
(4) What is the purpose of these BCR reports if
the government is just going to ignore them?
(5) Would the social benefits of the project,
including impacts on traffic, not also be achieved by implementing traffic
congestion mitigation measures along existing travel routes to Fremantle port?
The President: That question is seeking a significant
amount of information, honourable member. I will see if the parliamentary
secretary is able to reply.
209. Hon Steve Martin to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister
for Transport:
I refer to
Infrastructure WA's report into Westport, which shows a stronger benefit–cost
ratio in favour of the extend Fremantle option over the Westport now option.
(1) What was the actual dollar amount for cost
used to calculate the benefit–cost ratio for:
(a) the Westport now option; and
(b) the extend Fremantle option?
(2) Has the Cook government commissioned any
further work to undertake a cost–benefit analysis between the two
options?
(3) Does the Cook government agree or disagree
with the BCR finding?
(4) What is the purpose of these BCR reports if
the government is just going to ignore them?
(5) Would the social benefits of the project,
including impacts on traffic, not also be achieved by implementing traffic
congestion mitigation measures along existing travel routes to Fremantle port?
The President: That question is seeking a significant
amount of information, honourable member. I will see if the parliamentary
secretary is able to reply.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank
you, President. I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
I provide the following answer on behalf of the Minister for Transport.
(1)–(5) Infrastructure WA's independent
review found that the Westport business case provided sufficient information to
progress to the next phase of development based on the Westport now option. Making
major capital investments based only on cost–benefit analyses would
lead to misguided and suboptimal decisions. In the case of Westport, an
investment decision needs to account for numerous other factors, including the
risks to the state economy if Fremantle port or the surrounding rail and road
connections run out of capacity prior to new port infrastructure being
operational, and the need to still deliver Westport even if the $2.2 billion
extend Fremantle option was implemented.
you, President. I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
I provide the following answer on behalf of the Minister for Transport.
(1)–(5) Infrastructure WA's independent
review found that the Westport business case provided sufficient information to
progress to the next phase of development based on the Westport now option. Making
major capital investments based only on cost–benefit analyses would
lead to misguided and suboptimal decisions. In the case of Westport, an
investment decision needs to account for numerous other factors, including the
risks to the state economy if Fremantle port or the surrounding rail and road
connections run out of capacity prior to new port infrastructure being
operational, and the need to still deliver Westport even if the $2.2 billion
extend Fremantle option was implemented.
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