❓ The Minister for Transport outlines the benefits of the High Street upgrade in Fremantle, funded by redirecting resources from the cancelled Perth Freight Link, and highlights other completed transport projects. The response also includes political commentary on the opposition's stance on metropolitan projects.
AnsweredQoN 80Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HIGH STREET, FREMANTLE — UPGRADE
80. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in congestion-busting, job-creating road
projects.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what the upgrade to High Street will mean for
motorists, as well as outline how this project has supported local jobs and
local businesses?
(2) Can the
minister update the house on the other transport projects that the state
government is delivering instead of the failed uneconomical Perth Freight Link
project?
80. Mrs L.M. O'MALLEY to the Minister for
Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in congestion-busting, job-creating road
projects.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what the upgrade to High Street will mean for
motorists, as well as outline how this project has supported local jobs and
local businesses?
(2) Can the
minister update the house on the other transport projects that the state
government is delivering instead of the failed uneconomical Perth Freight Link
project?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for Bicton for that question.
(1)–(2) On
Monday, the Premier and I were joined by the member for Bicton, the member for
Fremantle and Senator Ben Small, another representative from the federal
government, which is partnering with us to deliver much needed infrastructure
around the state. We learnt a lot about Ben Small that day. We learnt that he
received a youth leadership award from the Premier when he was a bit younger.
Mr M. McGowan :
I gave him an award?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI :
The Premier gave him a youth leadership award.
As we know, the senator also
operated a small bar, which was only facilitated because of the work done by
the Premier when he was the Minister for Racing and Gaming; and, of course, it
was this Parliament that elected him to the
Senate. Senator Ben Small was there and he was very keen to be at the opening
of yet another project delivered by
this government, which was the new High Street interchange. Do the members for
Fremantle and Bicton remember what it was like before? It was congested
and unsafe.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Leader of
the Liberal Party!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : I can hear something
but I am not sure what it is. In relation to the High Street project, we all
knew what it looked like before. Of course, there were some very significant
safety concerns, particularly for all those who play netball in that area
because they had to run across High Street to get access to the netball courts.
As part of the project, a new roundabout will make it safer and easier for
trucks and cars to navigate in that area. New parking is being developed for
the netball courts and there are also two underpasses for the local community.
There are some very significant noise walls, too. If members want to see a lot
of noise walls, they should head down that way. I know there has been a bit of
discussion about the colour and type, but they help to protect the community
from the noise and they are something that the community was very keen on.
Actually, I have come to realise that most communities are very keen on noise
walls. This project created a lot of jobs. Five hundred jobs were created as a result
of the upgrade to High Street and we delivered the project as a result of the
cancellation of the Perth Freight Link and the redirection of funds. Remember,
we redirected those funds to about 17 road projects, all of which are now
finished. They include the High Street upgrade; the Murdoch Drive connection;
the widening of Kwinana Freeway northbound; the Armadale Road to North Lake
Road bridge; the Karel Avenue upgrades; the Kwinana Smart Freeway; the Roe Highway–Kalamunda
Road interchange; the widening of Mitchell Freeway southbound from Cedric
Street to Vincent Street; the Reid Highway carriageway from Altone Road to West
Swan Road; the Wanneroo Road–Joondalup Drive interchange; the Wanneroo
Road–Ocean Reef Road interchange; and the Wanneroo Road dual
carriageway. All those projects are completed. Of course, as part of that
redirection, funds were also allocated to some of our Metronet projects.
At the time, the opposition said
that we would not get this done—we would not be able to redirect those
funds. But we did and those projects are
completed. Of course, we know that the opposition, in particular the National
Party , does not like the metropolitan
area, but they are trying to reinvent themselves. The Leader of the Opposition
has said —
''I want to see our whole
state develop and quite often we're criticised for being divisive in
the way that we approach our messaging and our policies,'' �
No way! No way! The opposition
criticises everything that we do in the metropolitan area and it is worried now that it is being seen as divisive and hating
the metropolitan area! There are also comments that we have a metropolitan
branch of the National Party. That would be an interesting branch to go to.
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Close to their members. Obviously,
with a whole state electorate in the upper house at the next state election,
that is one thing we will have to consider.
Maybe the Nationals should remove
their bumper stickers that are attacking Metronet and support infrastructure
that creates jobs and improves the liveability and amenity wherever it is in Western
Australia. That is what this government is about—delivering record
infrastructure throughout the entire state.
member for Bicton for that question.
(1)–(2) On
Monday, the Premier and I were joined by the member for Bicton, the member for
Fremantle and Senator Ben Small, another representative from the federal
government, which is partnering with us to deliver much needed infrastructure
around the state. We learnt a lot about Ben Small that day. We learnt that he
received a youth leadership award from the Premier when he was a bit younger.
Mr M. McGowan :
I gave him an award?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI :
The Premier gave him a youth leadership award.
As we know, the senator also
operated a small bar, which was only facilitated because of the work done by
the Premier when he was the Minister for Racing and Gaming; and, of course, it
was this Parliament that elected him to the
Senate. Senator Ben Small was there and he was very keen to be at the opening
of yet another project delivered by
this government, which was the new High Street interchange. Do the members for
Fremantle and Bicton remember what it was like before? It was congested
and unsafe.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Leader of
the Liberal Party!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : I can hear something
but I am not sure what it is. In relation to the High Street project, we all
knew what it looked like before. Of course, there were some very significant
safety concerns, particularly for all those who play netball in that area
because they had to run across High Street to get access to the netball courts.
As part of the project, a new roundabout will make it safer and easier for
trucks and cars to navigate in that area. New parking is being developed for
the netball courts and there are also two underpasses for the local community.
There are some very significant noise walls, too. If members want to see a lot
of noise walls, they should head down that way. I know there has been a bit of
discussion about the colour and type, but they help to protect the community
from the noise and they are something that the community was very keen on.
Actually, I have come to realise that most communities are very keen on noise
walls. This project created a lot of jobs. Five hundred jobs were created as a result
of the upgrade to High Street and we delivered the project as a result of the
cancellation of the Perth Freight Link and the redirection of funds. Remember,
we redirected those funds to about 17 road projects, all of which are now
finished. They include the High Street upgrade; the Murdoch Drive connection;
the widening of Kwinana Freeway northbound; the Armadale Road to North Lake
Road bridge; the Karel Avenue upgrades; the Kwinana Smart Freeway; the Roe Highway–Kalamunda
Road interchange; the widening of Mitchell Freeway southbound from Cedric
Street to Vincent Street; the Reid Highway carriageway from Altone Road to West
Swan Road; the Wanneroo Road–Joondalup Drive interchange; the Wanneroo
Road–Ocean Reef Road interchange; and the Wanneroo Road dual
carriageway. All those projects are completed. Of course, as part of that
redirection, funds were also allocated to some of our Metronet projects.
At the time, the opposition said
that we would not get this done—we would not be able to redirect those
funds. But we did and those projects are
completed. Of course, we know that the opposition, in particular the National
Party , does not like the metropolitan
area, but they are trying to reinvent themselves. The Leader of the Opposition
has said —
''I want to see our whole
state develop and quite often we're criticised for being divisive in
the way that we approach our messaging and our policies,'' �
No way! No way! The opposition
criticises everything that we do in the metropolitan area and it is worried now that it is being seen as divisive and hating
the metropolitan area! There are also comments that we have a metropolitan
branch of the National Party. That would be an interesting branch to go to.
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Close to their members. Obviously,
with a whole state electorate in the upper house at the next state election,
that is one thing we will have to consider.
Maybe the Nationals should remove
their bumper stickers that are attacking Metronet and support infrastructure
that creates jobs and improves the liveability and amenity wherever it is in Western
Australia. That is what this government is about—delivering record
infrastructure throughout the entire state.
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