❓ The question asks the Minister for Transport to outline how the state budget delivers record investment in regional transport infrastructure and makes airfares more affordable, and to compare this with the record of the Nationals and Liberals. The Minister's answer details specific projects and funding allocations, contrasting them with the previous government's record.
AnsweredQoN 528Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE — REGIONS
528. Ms D.G. D'ANNA to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to using its strong and responsible financial
management to support regional Western Australians.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the state budget is delivering a record
investment in regional transport infrastructure and helping make airfares more
affordable for those living in the regions?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house how this compares with the record of the
Nationals and Liberals?
528. Ms D.G. D'ANNA to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to using its strong and responsible financial
management to support regional Western Australians.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the state budget is delivering a record
investment in regional transport infrastructure and helping make airfares more
affordable for those living in the regions?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house how this compares with the record of the
Nationals and Liberals?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Kimberley for that question. What an excellent member for
Kimberley she is. She is absolutely incredible. Of course, this budget has
recorded some more records, members. There is record spending on transport
infrastructure in regional WA. As the Premier outlined, there is a $4.5 billion
spend on regional infrastructure. There is a lot going on around the state.
Work continues on the delivery of the Bunbury
Outer Ring Road and, of course, the Albany ring-road. There is $278 million,
member for Pilbara , for the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway . Of course, funding continues to roll out for the
Outback Way, which is very much about local Aboriginal employment, as
well as building this vital new east–west link. The member for
Kimberley and I have been driving along Great Northern Highway a bit recently
and she has been telling me about some of her past concerns about the risks
along that road and how we are going to address that by replacing the
single-lane bridges with proper bridges to make it safer for everyone in the
community. There is $120 million for Marble Bar Road and millions for Great
Eastern Highway. Member for Dawesville, there is $110 million for the new
Mandurah Estuary Bridge, and the list goes on. There is record spending on
regional road safety, with $217 million in this year alone. Another 3 000
kilometres will be improved, with wider shoulders and safer roads throughout
regional WA.
There is funding on maritime
projects, like the Spoilbank Marina, the Bunbury waterfront and the Broome
boating facility, for which we are seeking further funding from the
commonwealth, but I am sure that we will be able to get on with that project as
soon as possible. There is funding for the Carnarvon fascine and the jetty.
There are millions of dollars for other grants, such as grants, member for
Albany, to address coastal erosion around Emu Point and other areas.
Of course, when it comes to aviation,
the funding in the budget will deliver our commitment on the new two-zone
airfares for residents of regional WA. There is either a $199 fare or a $299
fare, depending on where people live in regional WA. Since the election, we
have partnered to start introducing new fares—for example, the new $199
community airfare between Perth and Kalgoorlie, the new airfare between Port
Hedland and Newman and also the new airfare from Onslow.
As members can see, we are delivering
for regional Western Australia. We do not need slogans or bumper stickers to
understand that regional WA deserves its fair share, and that is what we are
doing. I compare and contrast this with the
approach taken when the Liberal–National government was in power. It
was very good on signage and bumper stickers, but it did not deliver on
the ground. It purposely avoided funding roads in regional WA. There is so much
catch-up out there because for eight years, those regional roads were neglected
under the Liberal–National government. The Premier acknowledged the
former leader of the National Party, Hon Brendon Grylls, who in 2013 said, ''You
can take a billion dollars and spend it on regional roads and say that we're
done. We won't be doing that.'' In 2017, Brendon Grylls, the former
leader of the National Party said, ''We haven't spent a lot of
money on roads.'' As a result, there is a lot of catch-up to do and we
are spending a record amount of money. We are engaging local communities and
local businesses and there is a record amount of Aboriginal employment,
particularly through the Kimberley. We will continue to invest because we know
that only a Labor government delivers to regional Western Australia.
thank the member for Kimberley for that question. What an excellent member for
Kimberley she is. She is absolutely incredible. Of course, this budget has
recorded some more records, members. There is record spending on transport
infrastructure in regional WA. As the Premier outlined, there is a $4.5 billion
spend on regional infrastructure. There is a lot going on around the state.
Work continues on the delivery of the Bunbury
Outer Ring Road and, of course, the Albany ring-road. There is $278 million,
member for Pilbara , for the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway . Of course, funding continues to roll out for the
Outback Way, which is very much about local Aboriginal employment, as
well as building this vital new east–west link. The member for
Kimberley and I have been driving along Great Northern Highway a bit recently
and she has been telling me about some of her past concerns about the risks
along that road and how we are going to address that by replacing the
single-lane bridges with proper bridges to make it safer for everyone in the
community. There is $120 million for Marble Bar Road and millions for Great
Eastern Highway. Member for Dawesville, there is $110 million for the new
Mandurah Estuary Bridge, and the list goes on. There is record spending on
regional road safety, with $217 million in this year alone. Another 3 000
kilometres will be improved, with wider shoulders and safer roads throughout
regional WA.
There is funding on maritime
projects, like the Spoilbank Marina, the Bunbury waterfront and the Broome
boating facility, for which we are seeking further funding from the
commonwealth, but I am sure that we will be able to get on with that project as
soon as possible. There is funding for the Carnarvon fascine and the jetty.
There are millions of dollars for other grants, such as grants, member for
Albany, to address coastal erosion around Emu Point and other areas.
Of course, when it comes to aviation,
the funding in the budget will deliver our commitment on the new two-zone
airfares for residents of regional WA. There is either a $199 fare or a $299
fare, depending on where people live in regional WA. Since the election, we
have partnered to start introducing new fares—for example, the new $199
community airfare between Perth and Kalgoorlie, the new airfare between Port
Hedland and Newman and also the new airfare from Onslow.
As members can see, we are delivering
for regional Western Australia. We do not need slogans or bumper stickers to
understand that regional WA deserves its fair share, and that is what we are
doing. I compare and contrast this with the
approach taken when the Liberal–National government was in power. It
was very good on signage and bumper stickers, but it did not deliver on
the ground. It purposely avoided funding roads in regional WA. There is so much
catch-up out there because for eight years, those regional roads were neglected
under the Liberal–National government. The Premier acknowledged the
former leader of the National Party, Hon Brendon Grylls, who in 2013 said, ''You
can take a billion dollars and spend it on regional roads and say that we're
done. We won't be doing that.'' In 2017, Brendon Grylls, the former
leader of the National Party said, ''We haven't spent a lot of
money on roads.'' As a result, there is a lot of catch-up to do and we
are spending a record amount of money. We are engaging local communities and
local businesses and there is a record amount of Aboriginal employment,
particularly through the Kimberley. We will continue to invest because we know
that only a Labor government delivers to regional Western Australia.
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