❓ Question regarding Commonwealth funding for WA roads, with the Minister responding with political commentary and acknowledging the funding and discussions with the federal minister.
AnsweredQoN 138Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROADS NETWORK — RAT-RUNNING
138. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for Transport:
I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
The
SPEAKER : Before the member for Midland asks the supplementary, I do
not know at what point the minister is going to table that document, but he did
give an indication that he would do that.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
will do it again.
[See paper 4659.]
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
Is the minister aware that his budget also includes $962 million in
commonwealth capital appropriations funding for roads over four years compared
with only $628 million that was provided by the Howard Liberal government
during WA Labor's last four years?
138. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the Minister for Transport:
I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
The
SPEAKER : Before the member for Midland asks the supplementary, I do
not know at what point the minister is going to table that document, but he did
give an indication that he would do that.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
will do it again.
[See paper 4659.]
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
Is the minister aware that his budget also includes $962 million in
commonwealth capital appropriations funding for roads over four years compared
with only $628 million that was provided by the Howard Liberal government
during WA Labor's last four years?
AnswerView source ↗
Firstly, I am just intrigued by this
transformation of the Labor Party from ''Labor'' to ''WA
Labor''.
Several members interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
have a tip for the member for Midland: when you are largely funded by the union
movement and when you are definitely controlled by the union movement, you can
run but you cannot hide from the fact that you are Labor. I know that it is
hard labour being Labor, but you are in labour and you cannot get out of it,
member for Midland!
Mr M. McGowan : How
long did you practise that one for?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : I just thought of it as I stood up.
Several members interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Like the member for Rockingham, occasionally I have an original thought, not
like the Zurich train sardine experiment of yesterday!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Mr Speaker, here is the nub of the question. Am I aware that the commonwealth
contributes to road construction in Western Australia? Absolutely! I met
recently with federal minister Anthony Albanese and we discussed the very
issue. It may well have helped WA Labor if it had a better relationship with
the commonwealth in relation to roads, because we are certainly not doing too
well on a range of other fronts. Of course I am aware of it.
transformation of the Labor Party from ''Labor'' to ''WA
Labor''.
Several members interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
have a tip for the member for Midland: when you are largely funded by the union
movement and when you are definitely controlled by the union movement, you can
run but you cannot hide from the fact that you are Labor. I know that it is
hard labour being Labor, but you are in labour and you cannot get out of it,
member for Midland!
Mr M. McGowan : How
long did you practise that one for?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : I just thought of it as I stood up.
Several members interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Like the member for Rockingham, occasionally I have an original thought, not
like the Zurich train sardine experiment of yesterday!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Mr Speaker, here is the nub of the question. Am I aware that the commonwealth
contributes to road construction in Western Australia? Absolutely! I met
recently with federal minister Anthony Albanese and we discussed the very
issue. It may well have helped WA Labor if it had a better relationship with
the commonwealth in relation to roads, because we are certainly not doing too
well on a range of other fronts. Of course I am aware of it.
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