❓ Opposition questions Metronet cost blowout. Treasurer deflects, attacking opposition's stance on public transport and regional WA, while highlighting government investment in transport and other sectors.
AnsweredQoN 311Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METRONET — COSTS
311. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
In light of yet another significant
blowout in Metronet—$700 million since the midyear review—did
the Treasurer raise concerns with the Minister for Transport regarding this
massive blowout and its impact on Western Australian taxpayers?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
311. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
In light of yet another significant
blowout in Metronet—$700 million since the midyear review—did
the Treasurer raise concerns with the Minister for Transport regarding this
massive blowout and its impact on Western Australian taxpayers?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
AnswerView source ↗
I know that the National and Liberal
Parties are against public transport. We know that. We also know that if it is
left up to them, they will increase the prices of fares for people living in
the suburbs by astronomical amounts. We know that. We know that both the
Liberal and National Parties are opposed to Metronet. We will tell everybody
that they will rip up the rail lines and probably shut down the local
manufacturing facility, like it did before. It will probably sell off rail
lines, like it did before. It will sack thousands of workers in regional and
metropolitan WA working on the rail lines if they had their chance. Like I said,
they are opposed to Metronet, which includes local rail manufacturing. Thirty years ago they shut down local rail
manufacturing and they would do it again. They sold off Westrail Freight
and they will sell more. That is what they will do. The opposition believes in
a higher cost recovery of our network. That means massive fare hikes. Member
for Dawesville, those huge savings that public transport users are getting now
will be reversed by the other side. That is what it will do.
In relation to the additional
funding, $254 million additional funding is going into our Metronet
infrastructure in this budget, with $3.2 billion
into health, $1.1 billion into housing and billions into regional WA. I tell
members what : as Minister for Transport, I also approved $75 million
extra funding for the regional airfare zone cap scheme. It is a transport
initiative. But do members know what? As Treasurer I thought it was a good
thing to do. We doubled the transport allowance for regional students for the
first time in 20 years. That was a transport initiative, but as Treasurer I thought,
''You know what? Regional transport users deserve it.'' In the
Kimberley, there are a number of new transport initiatives like the Brooking
Channel Bridge and regional road safety throughout regional WA. They are
regional transport initiatives, but as Treasurer, I thought they were worth
supporting.
The Leader of the Opposition can sit
there with his negative anti-suburban view. At the same time, I see that the
Nationals WA has taken away the word ''regional'' from its new
logo. Members should look at the website. The Nationals have removed ''Regional
WA'' from its logo. That is what they have done. The Leader of the
Opposition should go out and doorknock, and
tell the people of Byford that they do not deserve a rail line. He should tell
the people of Ellenbrook that they do not deserve a rail line. The
Nationals cannot stand the fact that we made commitments to Western Australians
across WA and we are delivering them. You guys abandoned the regions and you
abandoned people living in the suburbs.
As I said, the Leader of the
Opposition can criticise the government all he likes because the number one
feedback I get from people is, ''We love Metronet. Keep going, Rita.''
That is what they keep saying.
Parties are against public transport. We know that. We also know that if it is
left up to them, they will increase the prices of fares for people living in
the suburbs by astronomical amounts. We know that. We know that both the
Liberal and National Parties are opposed to Metronet. We will tell everybody
that they will rip up the rail lines and probably shut down the local
manufacturing facility, like it did before. It will probably sell off rail
lines, like it did before. It will sack thousands of workers in regional and
metropolitan WA working on the rail lines if they had their chance. Like I said,
they are opposed to Metronet, which includes local rail manufacturing. Thirty years ago they shut down local rail
manufacturing and they would do it again. They sold off Westrail Freight
and they will sell more. That is what they will do. The opposition believes in
a higher cost recovery of our network. That means massive fare hikes. Member
for Dawesville, those huge savings that public transport users are getting now
will be reversed by the other side. That is what it will do.
In relation to the additional
funding, $254 million additional funding is going into our Metronet
infrastructure in this budget, with $3.2 billion
into health, $1.1 billion into housing and billions into regional WA. I tell
members what : as Minister for Transport, I also approved $75 million
extra funding for the regional airfare zone cap scheme. It is a transport
initiative. But do members know what? As Treasurer I thought it was a good
thing to do. We doubled the transport allowance for regional students for the
first time in 20 years. That was a transport initiative, but as Treasurer I thought,
''You know what? Regional transport users deserve it.'' In the
Kimberley, there are a number of new transport initiatives like the Brooking
Channel Bridge and regional road safety throughout regional WA. They are
regional transport initiatives, but as Treasurer, I thought they were worth
supporting.
The Leader of the Opposition can sit
there with his negative anti-suburban view. At the same time, I see that the
Nationals WA has taken away the word ''regional'' from its new
logo. Members should look at the website. The Nationals have removed ''Regional
WA'' from its logo. That is what they have done. The Leader of the
Opposition should go out and doorknock, and
tell the people of Byford that they do not deserve a rail line. He should tell
the people of Ellenbrook that they do not deserve a rail line. The
Nationals cannot stand the fact that we made commitments to Western Australians
across WA and we are delivering them. You guys abandoned the regions and you
abandoned people living in the suburbs.
As I said, the Leader of the
Opposition can criticise the government all he likes because the number one
feedback I get from people is, ''We love Metronet. Keep going, Rita.''
That is what they keep saying.
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