❓ The Minister for Transport outlines the government's $200 million investment in WA's freight rail network, contrasting it with the previous Liberal-National government's sale and closure of rail lines. The investment aims to improve efficiency, reduce freight costs, support jobs and the agricultural sector.
AnsweredQoN 264Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE —
FREIGHT
264. Ms L. DALTON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating and economic-driving
infrastructure right across Western Australia and, in particular, in regional
WA. Can the minister outline to the house how the $200 million investment by
the state and commonwealth governments in WA's freight rail network
will improve efficiency, reduce freight costs, support jobs and support our
agricultural sector, and how this government's approach compares with
that of the previous Liberal–National government?
FREIGHT
264. Ms L. DALTON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating and economic-driving
infrastructure right across Western Australia and, in particular, in regional
WA. Can the minister outline to the house how the $200 million investment by
the state and commonwealth governments in WA's freight rail network
will improve efficiency, reduce freight costs, support jobs and support our
agricultural sector, and how this government's approach compares with
that of the previous Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
Last
week I made my way to Brookton to announce the joint spending of $200 million
on regional rail infrastructure in the state. This is an acknowledgement
that rail plays a key role in not only metropolitan WA and for Metronet, but
also for transporting freight across the state. Some members may not recall
this, but let us go through it: it was the
Liberal–National government that sold the regional freight business. It
sold Westrail Freight for less than its value and the Nationals had
their tummies tickled by the then Premier who gave the Nationals a few roads as
a trade-off for selling the entire regional freight network. The government not
only sold it, but also when it got back into government again, it closed down
the rail lines. The government sold it and then closed down the rail lines. Of
course, that has put enormous pressure on our roads. There have long been calls
demanding that we work to get our regional rail back up to standard, so I am
really pleased to be committing, together with the federal government, $200 million for a range of projects. Members may
know that this last harvest has been a record harvest. We believe those
numbers will continue to be at those levels and higher in the future. It was
with great pleasure to be there with Co-operative Bulk Handling and Arc
Infrastructure last week in regional WA.
Mr W.J. Johnston : I saw you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, you did
a nice walk into the camera shot, you might have noticed!
We have committed $22 million to
improve the rail sidings at four CBH bins and another $46 million to extend the
rail sidings at seven additional bins. In some instances, that will mean that a
train that used to take about eight hours to load will now take between two and
three hours to load. That means enormous efficiencies in moving the freight
across the network. We will also improve the capacity of the rail lines with an
investment of $60 million to upgrade the Midland line's main line
between Carnamah and Mingenew that will increase the tonne axle loading from 16 tonnes to 19 tonnes and a very exciting
investment of $72 million towards the progressive recommissioning of the
Narrogin to Kulin tier 3 rail line. Working with the regional resources
industry, we will make sure that we can reopen lines for not only grain
freight, but also the resources sector, because we believe that when we combine
those two components, the business case is strong to have those rail lines
reopened.
It
is always interesting to know what the opposition says when we talk about
regional rail. As I said, the Liberal–National government had no
shame. It sold Westrail Freight and shut down the rail lines yet somehow, with
more front than Myers, Liberal–National
members are criticising us. I understand that the member for Moore is not here.
I wish him well in his COVID
recovery. He went onto my Facebook page to congratulate the federal National
and Liberal Parties . Given that the
WA National Party does not talk to the federal National Party, it is no wonder
the member for Moore had to go onto my page to communicate with the
federal National Party! He does not communicate with the federal National Party
directly because the state and federal parties do not talk to each other, so he
had to go onto my Facebook page to
communicate with the federal National Party. Barnaby Joyce seems to be banned
from WA because the National Party seems to think that would impact on
its vote in regional WA.
Mr M. McGowan : So you're
like Kissinger!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am the
messenger.
The member for Moore went onto my
Facebook page to communicate with the federal National Party. The member for
Geraldton's predecessor, the federal National Party's candidate
for Durack, Ian Blayney, was out there with a strange media release commenting
about tier 3. Again, that is from a party that sold Westrail Freight and shut
down the rail lines and is now questioning our commitment to regional rail. I will
tell members what: it is there, it is funded and we will continue to work with
regional communities to make real progress about how we move our freight around
the state.
Last
week I made my way to Brookton to announce the joint spending of $200 million
on regional rail infrastructure in the state. This is an acknowledgement
that rail plays a key role in not only metropolitan WA and for Metronet, but
also for transporting freight across the state. Some members may not recall
this, but let us go through it: it was the
Liberal–National government that sold the regional freight business. It
sold Westrail Freight for less than its value and the Nationals had
their tummies tickled by the then Premier who gave the Nationals a few roads as
a trade-off for selling the entire regional freight network. The government not
only sold it, but also when it got back into government again, it closed down
the rail lines. The government sold it and then closed down the rail lines. Of
course, that has put enormous pressure on our roads. There have long been calls
demanding that we work to get our regional rail back up to standard, so I am
really pleased to be committing, together with the federal government, $200 million for a range of projects. Members may
know that this last harvest has been a record harvest. We believe those
numbers will continue to be at those levels and higher in the future. It was
with great pleasure to be there with Co-operative Bulk Handling and Arc
Infrastructure last week in regional WA.
Mr W.J. Johnston : I saw you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, you did
a nice walk into the camera shot, you might have noticed!
We have committed $22 million to
improve the rail sidings at four CBH bins and another $46 million to extend the
rail sidings at seven additional bins. In some instances, that will mean that a
train that used to take about eight hours to load will now take between two and
three hours to load. That means enormous efficiencies in moving the freight
across the network. We will also improve the capacity of the rail lines with an
investment of $60 million to upgrade the Midland line's main line
between Carnamah and Mingenew that will increase the tonne axle loading from 16 tonnes to 19 tonnes and a very exciting
investment of $72 million towards the progressive recommissioning of the
Narrogin to Kulin tier 3 rail line. Working with the regional resources
industry, we will make sure that we can reopen lines for not only grain
freight, but also the resources sector, because we believe that when we combine
those two components, the business case is strong to have those rail lines
reopened.
It
is always interesting to know what the opposition says when we talk about
regional rail. As I said, the Liberal–National government had no
shame. It sold Westrail Freight and shut down the rail lines yet somehow, with
more front than Myers, Liberal–National
members are criticising us. I understand that the member for Moore is not here.
I wish him well in his COVID
recovery. He went onto my Facebook page to congratulate the federal National
and Liberal Parties . Given that the
WA National Party does not talk to the federal National Party, it is no wonder
the member for Moore had to go onto my page to communicate with the
federal National Party! He does not communicate with the federal National Party
directly because the state and federal parties do not talk to each other, so he
had to go onto my Facebook page to
communicate with the federal National Party. Barnaby Joyce seems to be banned
from WA because the National Party seems to think that would impact on
its vote in regional WA.
Mr M. McGowan : So you're
like Kissinger!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am the
messenger.
The member for Moore went onto my
Facebook page to communicate with the federal National Party. The member for
Geraldton's predecessor, the federal National Party's candidate
for Durack, Ian Blayney, was out there with a strange media release commenting
about tier 3. Again, that is from a party that sold Westrail Freight and shut
down the rail lines and is now questioning our commitment to regional rail. I will
tell members what: it is there, it is funded and we will continue to work with
regional communities to make real progress about how we move our freight around
the state.
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