❓ Question addresses the Cook Labor government's infrastructure investments (Metronet, Westport) and seeks comparison with alternative visions. The Minister's answer defends the government's record and attacks the opposition's lack of infrastructure planning.
AnsweredQoN 811Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRANSPORT — INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
811. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's effort to create a strong, sustainable economy for future
generations of Western Australians.
(1) Can the
minister outline how economic infrastructure like Metronet and Westport will
drive jobs and opportunities for Western Australians into the future?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of any alternative visions for
the state of Western Australia?
811. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's effort to create a strong, sustainable economy for future
generations of Western Australians.
(1) Can the
minister outline how economic infrastructure like Metronet and Westport will
drive jobs and opportunities for Western Australians into the future?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of any alternative visions for
the state of Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Cannington for that question. Already in question time, we
have seen the Liberal and National Parties
oppose economic infrastructure for the state. They oppose new rail lines and
now t hey are opposing a new port. The extent of the previous government's
infrastructure plan was—remember this?—''Honk for Roe 8
and 9!'' That was the extent of its vision, honking for Roe 8 and Roe 9.
Under its government, this is what they did. Debt spiralled out of control. It
broke election commitments like the Metro
Area Express light rail and the Ellenbrook rail line and it wanted to sell
everything—Western Power and Fremantle port. That was its plan
when it was last in government. What have we done? We have cut debt and
invested a record amount in infrastructure. We are delivering projects like
Metronet. On the weekend, I had the ability
to unveil, with the member for Victoria Park, the seven-kilometre park that
will be created. It will improve liveability for people around there and
facilitate new housing options in that corridor, revitalising some of these
suburbs by allowing new housing and amenity.
Of course, in relation to Westport,
as the Premier outlined, we have a plan for the future. Without a new port, we
will have more congestion on our roads. Members opposite have no plan for the
outer harbour. The member for Riverton can tell all his constituents that the
Liberal Party has no plan to build and rejects an outer harbour, so under a Liberal
Party government, they will see more congestion on Leach Highway and an
increase in the price of goods and services in this state because we will have
to rely on ships that go east and have goods transported across the state.
The Liberal Party has the view that a
government cannot build infrastructure and deliver services in this state. That is its view. Liberal Party members do
not believe a government can actually build infrastructure and deliver
services. They are so simple and so pathetic that they cannot do both. We have
been out there delivering record infrastructure, and that means jobs, members.
When I go doorknocking, people come
up to me. In Brabham the other day, I spoke to someone mowing their lawn. He
works as a subcontractor doing a lot of the pipework for one of the Metronet
stations. He asked, ''What's the next pipeline of infrastructure
work?'' There are thousands upon thousands of people in WA who rely on
the infrastructure pipeline, and that is why a new port and the associated
infrastructure has got the city talking. It has got the state talking. It has
got the contractors talking because they can see that pipeline of work.
The Liberal Party and Nationals WA
cannot do two things at the same time. We know that they cannot talk to each
other. They cannot think about building some infrastructure and delivering some
services. It is beyond their capacity. Despite all the evidence and information—the
business case—supplied, the Leader
of the Liberal Party went out and said that Fremantle port is operating at 30 per
cent capacity. Even her predecessor back in 2011 talked about the outer
harbour being necessary in 10 years' time. In 2011, a press release stated
—
Mr Buswell said the inner harbour was
expected to reach its capacity to manage container trade in about 10 years �
We have a Liberal Party that cannot
bring a coherent sense to infrastructure. The feedback I am getting from the
people who are out there building and delivering this infrastructure is that
the leaders of the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA have no plan; they just
want to say no to everything because they cannot
figure out how to run a police service and deliver some infrastructure at the
same time. That is what government is; it is about making sure that we
have a plan for the future while delivering services.
Honestly, I was not here for the last
two days of last week, but I heard that there was a little bit of tension
between the Liberal Party and the National Party. There was a little bit of
tension and an unravelling of what is
already a crazy mess in the opposition. Again, members opposite should ask
questions. Let us have a matter of public interest motion on Westport
because I would like to hear what their plan is. I cannot wait. When I heard
there was going to be an MPI on Westport, I was so excited. I cancelled
everything and said, ''This is the best day.'' Honestly! There I was
thinking I was going to have a boring afternoon. An MPI on Westport—I
cannot wait to hear the opposition's plans! If the extent of the
Liberal Party's plan is to have the
leader of ''The Clan'' up the back who holds the puppet strings
saying, ''Honk for Roe 8 and 9'', bring it on! Let us have
a one-hour, two-hour or three-hour debate on infrastructure in this state,
because I know that the people of WA appreciate that we are the government that
is delivering for them.
Government members : Hear,
hear!
thank the member for Cannington for that question. Already in question time, we
have seen the Liberal and National Parties
oppose economic infrastructure for the state. They oppose new rail lines and
now t hey are opposing a new port. The extent of the previous government's
infrastructure plan was—remember this?—''Honk for Roe 8
and 9!'' That was the extent of its vision, honking for Roe 8 and Roe 9.
Under its government, this is what they did. Debt spiralled out of control. It
broke election commitments like the Metro
Area Express light rail and the Ellenbrook rail line and it wanted to sell
everything—Western Power and Fremantle port. That was its plan
when it was last in government. What have we done? We have cut debt and
invested a record amount in infrastructure. We are delivering projects like
Metronet. On the weekend, I had the ability
to unveil, with the member for Victoria Park, the seven-kilometre park that
will be created. It will improve liveability for people around there and
facilitate new housing options in that corridor, revitalising some of these
suburbs by allowing new housing and amenity.
Of course, in relation to Westport,
as the Premier outlined, we have a plan for the future. Without a new port, we
will have more congestion on our roads. Members opposite have no plan for the
outer harbour. The member for Riverton can tell all his constituents that the
Liberal Party has no plan to build and rejects an outer harbour, so under a Liberal
Party government, they will see more congestion on Leach Highway and an
increase in the price of goods and services in this state because we will have
to rely on ships that go east and have goods transported across the state.
The Liberal Party has the view that a
government cannot build infrastructure and deliver services in this state. That is its view. Liberal Party members do
not believe a government can actually build infrastructure and deliver
services. They are so simple and so pathetic that they cannot do both. We have
been out there delivering record infrastructure, and that means jobs, members.
When I go doorknocking, people come
up to me. In Brabham the other day, I spoke to someone mowing their lawn. He
works as a subcontractor doing a lot of the pipework for one of the Metronet
stations. He asked, ''What's the next pipeline of infrastructure
work?'' There are thousands upon thousands of people in WA who rely on
the infrastructure pipeline, and that is why a new port and the associated
infrastructure has got the city talking. It has got the state talking. It has
got the contractors talking because they can see that pipeline of work.
The Liberal Party and Nationals WA
cannot do two things at the same time. We know that they cannot talk to each
other. They cannot think about building some infrastructure and delivering some
services. It is beyond their capacity. Despite all the evidence and information—the
business case—supplied, the Leader
of the Liberal Party went out and said that Fremantle port is operating at 30 per
cent capacity. Even her predecessor back in 2011 talked about the outer
harbour being necessary in 10 years' time. In 2011, a press release stated
—
Mr Buswell said the inner harbour was
expected to reach its capacity to manage container trade in about 10 years �
We have a Liberal Party that cannot
bring a coherent sense to infrastructure. The feedback I am getting from the
people who are out there building and delivering this infrastructure is that
the leaders of the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA have no plan; they just
want to say no to everything because they cannot
figure out how to run a police service and deliver some infrastructure at the
same time. That is what government is; it is about making sure that we
have a plan for the future while delivering services.
Honestly, I was not here for the last
two days of last week, but I heard that there was a little bit of tension
between the Liberal Party and the National Party. There was a little bit of
tension and an unravelling of what is
already a crazy mess in the opposition. Again, members opposite should ask
questions. Let us have a matter of public interest motion on Westport
because I would like to hear what their plan is. I cannot wait. When I heard
there was going to be an MPI on Westport, I was so excited. I cancelled
everything and said, ''This is the best day.'' Honestly! There I was
thinking I was going to have a boring afternoon. An MPI on Westport—I
cannot wait to hear the opposition's plans! If the extent of the
Liberal Party's plan is to have the
leader of ''The Clan'' up the back who holds the puppet strings
saying, ''Honk for Roe 8 and 9'', bring it on! Let us have
a one-hour, two-hour or three-hour debate on infrastructure in this state,
because I know that the people of WA appreciate that we are the government that
is delivering for them.
Government members : Hear,
hear!
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