❓ Ms. Shaw asks about the Metronet Morley-Ellenbrook line and Tonkin Gap project, focusing on economic benefits. The Minister responds by highlighting project progress and criticising the opposition's past statements on the project's viability.
AnsweredQoN 831Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
INFRASTRUCTURE
831. Ms
J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's efforts in keeping the WA economy safe and strong through
its record investment in major transport infrastructure.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the
construction underway to deliver the Metronet Morley–Ellenbrook line?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house how this,
along with the Tonkin gap project, supports local businesses and creates
more local jobs?
INFRASTRUCTURE
831. Ms
J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's efforts in keeping the WA economy safe and strong through
its record investment in major transport infrastructure.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the
construction underway to deliver the Metronet Morley–Ellenbrook line?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house how this,
along with the Tonkin gap project, supports local businesses and creates
more local jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Swan Hills
for her question and her support for this very significant project.
(1)–(2) Yesterday,
I joined the Premier and the members for Morley and Maylands as construction
started on the Tonkin gap project. This project has two parts: facilitating
works for the Morley–Ellenbrook rail line and the widening of Tonkin Highway and construction of new bridges to reduce
congestion and address one of the top bottlenecks in the metropolitan
area, Tonkin Highway through Bayswater. As I said, groundworks are now
underway. Yesterday, we did the first concrete pour.
Mr D.J. Kelly : Is it
terrazzo?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am slightly
stereotyped by racism, but I will let that wash off and talk about the fact
that we were in the median strip of Tonkin Highway while concrete was being
poured. Workers were happy to be working on the Morley–Ellenbrook
project. It is a major achievement.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members on my left, I did
not hear anything funny then. I do not know what you were laughing at.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : The Morley–Ellenbrook
rail line is a major commitment that we made. Of course, the Liberal Party lied to the people of Western Australia
about that project not once, but twice. It is probably worthwhile going through some of the top quotes from the Liberal
Party about this project since 2017. In May 2017, the Leader of the Opposition said that the Ellenbrook railway line would not be funded by Infrastructure
Australia and that the project did not stack up. In 2018, she also said —
�
it is likely that an independent panel of experts would have a look at the rail
line to Ellenbrook and say , ''Actually we don't need that
until 2031 �
In 2018, the member for Bateman said
—
But I can tell members now that the
Ellenbrook line does not add up.
The member for Riverton said, ''I
have said do not commit funding to Ellenbrook.''
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Riverton said that it would take a genius to come up with a business case
to support that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There we were
yesterday with workers on site pouring concrete to support the bridge
structures for the Ellenbrook rail line. I got
feedback at the two construction industry dinners that I have been to over the
past couple of weeks. I do not know where the Liberal Party was. A lot
of companies out there are getting work and supporting thousands of jobs across
Western Australia. They say, ''Thank you for giving us secure jobs in Western Australia and a pipeline of work.''
They are out there delivering. There is a record amount of infrastructure .
That is the feedback that we get wherever we go.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : During the
estimates hearing, the member for Vasse asked what is the estimated total cost
of these projects. I said that it is in the asset investment program in budget
paper No 2. She said no and asked me to provide it as supplementary
information. I said, ''Member for Vasse, pick up the budget papers; it
is there.'' She said no and asked me to provide it by way of
supplementary information. She did not understand that the cost of the projects is in budget paper No 2. She did not
understand that it is on the asset investment page. She kept referring to a summary page in budget paper No 3. It was one of the worst performances I have
ever seen.
Ms L. Mettam : Bring the
mirror in.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : They are
nasty, nasty comments. During estimates, she did not know where to find
Metronet in the budget papers. It was the
worst and most embarrassing performance I have ever seen. As I said during
estimates , I am happy to answer questions from the opposition, but I am
not going to run a budget workshop during estimates just so they can learn how
to ask a question.
for her question and her support for this very significant project.
(1)–(2) Yesterday,
I joined the Premier and the members for Morley and Maylands as construction
started on the Tonkin gap project. This project has two parts: facilitating
works for the Morley–Ellenbrook rail line and the widening of Tonkin Highway and construction of new bridges to reduce
congestion and address one of the top bottlenecks in the metropolitan
area, Tonkin Highway through Bayswater. As I said, groundworks are now
underway. Yesterday, we did the first concrete pour.
Mr D.J. Kelly : Is it
terrazzo?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am slightly
stereotyped by racism, but I will let that wash off and talk about the fact
that we were in the median strip of Tonkin Highway while concrete was being
poured. Workers were happy to be working on the Morley–Ellenbrook
project. It is a major achievement.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members on my left, I did
not hear anything funny then. I do not know what you were laughing at.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : The Morley–Ellenbrook
rail line is a major commitment that we made. Of course, the Liberal Party lied to the people of Western Australia
about that project not once, but twice. It is probably worthwhile going through some of the top quotes from the Liberal
Party about this project since 2017. In May 2017, the Leader of the Opposition said that the Ellenbrook railway line would not be funded by Infrastructure
Australia and that the project did not stack up. In 2018, she also said —
�
it is likely that an independent panel of experts would have a look at the rail
line to Ellenbrook and say , ''Actually we don't need that
until 2031 �
In 2018, the member for Bateman said
—
But I can tell members now that the
Ellenbrook line does not add up.
The member for Riverton said, ''I
have said do not commit funding to Ellenbrook.''
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Riverton said that it would take a genius to come up with a business case
to support that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There we were
yesterday with workers on site pouring concrete to support the bridge
structures for the Ellenbrook rail line. I got
feedback at the two construction industry dinners that I have been to over the
past couple of weeks. I do not know where the Liberal Party was. A lot
of companies out there are getting work and supporting thousands of jobs across
Western Australia. They say, ''Thank you for giving us secure jobs in Western Australia and a pipeline of work.''
They are out there delivering. There is a record amount of infrastructure .
That is the feedback that we get wherever we go.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : During the
estimates hearing, the member for Vasse asked what is the estimated total cost
of these projects. I said that it is in the asset investment program in budget
paper No 2. She said no and asked me to provide it as supplementary
information. I said, ''Member for Vasse, pick up the budget papers; it
is there.'' She said no and asked me to provide it by way of
supplementary information. She did not understand that the cost of the projects is in budget paper No 2. She did not
understand that it is on the asset investment page. She kept referring to a summary page in budget paper No 3. It was one of the worst performances I have
ever seen.
Ms L. Mettam : Bring the
mirror in.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : They are
nasty, nasty comments. During estimates, she did not know where to find
Metronet in the budget papers. It was the
worst and most embarrassing performance I have ever seen. As I said during
estimates , I am happy to answer questions from the opposition, but I am
not going to run a budget workshop during estimates just so they can learn how
to ask a question.
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