❓ Question regarding conflicting timelines for the Morley rail tunnel project and prioritization of the Thornlie-Cockburn line. The Treasurer defends the government's long-term planning approach and criticizes the opposition's Metronet plan.
AnsweredQoN 512Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DRAFT TRANSPORT PLAN — RAIL TUNNEL —
MORLEY
512. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Treasurer's
comments on the proposed Morley rail tunnel in which he stated that it would
take years to identify the geotechnical and technical aspects of this project.
(1) Given the
time frame that the Treasurer suggested, does he agree with the Minister for
Transport, who said this was a priority project that should get underway within
the next six months?
(2) Does the
Treasurer stand by his comments that the Thornlie to Cockburn line should be
the priority line, given, as he claims, that it is a bigger ''bang for
your buck''?
MORLEY
512. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Treasurer's
comments on the proposed Morley rail tunnel in which he stated that it would
take years to identify the geotechnical and technical aspects of this project.
(1) Given the
time frame that the Treasurer suggested, does he agree with the Minister for
Transport, who said this was a priority project that should get underway within
the next six months?
(2) Does the
Treasurer stand by his comments that the Thornlie to Cockburn line should be
the priority line, given, as he claims, that it is a bigger ''bang for
your buck''?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question. It highlights the difference between us and
the opposition. The opposition is out there promoting a rail line to Ellenbrook
with no numbers and no route—nothing.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I have been very lenient on you; I have
called you twice.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : What I have said is quite accurate—that is, we have
come up with a long-term plan, as the Minister for Transport laid out. We have
identified a route from Perth to Morley. There are a whole range of issues: the
route, how deep, the geotechnical aspects and the number of stations, which all
involve a large amount of work. We are starting that work.
Mr
M. McGowan : Six months—that is what you said.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : It will take a number of years to get to the adequate stage—to
really cost it and then go to bids. That is what we do. We do not sit up there
in a marginal seat and say, ''Let's build a railway to it'',
like the Labor Party does. In fact, Metronet was, and remains, nothing more
than connecting the dots between marginal seats. The Labor Party's
costing is nothing short of fabrication. We are going to plan in the long term
to build a line from Perth to Morley. We are identifying the route, the cost
and whatnot. That is what good planning is about.
As to the line from Cockburn to
Thornlie, that has been on the drawing board for over a decade. The route was
purchased because under the Court government that was going to be the route to
the Mandurah line—that is true.
Mr
M. McGowan : It's the existing train line.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : It is the existing train line and the land for the stations and
right-of-ways had been identified. It has been promoted and discussed,
particularly led by the member for Southern River, quite effectively for a long
time. It is a priority—the Premier has indicated it is a priority—and
it is sitting there ready to go. I am very confident that we on this side can
do more than one thing at a time and promote the development of that. I just
urge people to use public transport in this state, particularly because we are
the only ones who have a plan to fund it. We are the only ones who actually
have a long-term plan. We are the only ones who are actually doing the hard
yards and doing the costings. If people want to use public transport into the
future, look to us, not the Labor Party.
thank the member for the question. It highlights the difference between us and
the opposition. The opposition is out there promoting a rail line to Ellenbrook
with no numbers and no route—nothing.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I have been very lenient on you; I have
called you twice.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : What I have said is quite accurate—that is, we have
come up with a long-term plan, as the Minister for Transport laid out. We have
identified a route from Perth to Morley. There are a whole range of issues: the
route, how deep, the geotechnical aspects and the number of stations, which all
involve a large amount of work. We are starting that work.
Mr
M. McGowan : Six months—that is what you said.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : It will take a number of years to get to the adequate stage—to
really cost it and then go to bids. That is what we do. We do not sit up there
in a marginal seat and say, ''Let's build a railway to it'',
like the Labor Party does. In fact, Metronet was, and remains, nothing more
than connecting the dots between marginal seats. The Labor Party's
costing is nothing short of fabrication. We are going to plan in the long term
to build a line from Perth to Morley. We are identifying the route, the cost
and whatnot. That is what good planning is about.
As to the line from Cockburn to
Thornlie, that has been on the drawing board for over a decade. The route was
purchased because under the Court government that was going to be the route to
the Mandurah line—that is true.
Mr
M. McGowan : It's the existing train line.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : It is the existing train line and the land for the stations and
right-of-ways had been identified. It has been promoted and discussed,
particularly led by the member for Southern River, quite effectively for a long
time. It is a priority—the Premier has indicated it is a priority—and
it is sitting there ready to go. I am very confident that we on this side can
do more than one thing at a time and promote the development of that. I just
urge people to use public transport in this state, particularly because we are
the only ones who have a plan to fund it. We are the only ones who actually
have a long-term plan. We are the only ones who are actually doing the hard
yards and doing the costings. If people want to use public transport into the
future, look to us, not the Labor Party.
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