❓ Ms. Shaw questions the Minister for Transport on the progress of the Morley-Ellenbrook rail line, contrasting it with past Liberal/National promises. The Minister details progress, highlighting milestones and criticising the previous government's inaction.
AnsweredQoN 561Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METRONET —
ELLENBROOK RAIL LINE
561. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to delivering world-class public transport infrastructure.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the progress of Metronet, including the delivery of
the long-awaited Morley–Ellenbrook line?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this progress compares with the false promises
made by Liberal and National parties?
ELLENBROOK RAIL LINE
561. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to delivering world-class public transport infrastructure.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the progress of Metronet, including the delivery of
the long-awaited Morley–Ellenbrook line?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this progress compares with the false promises
made by Liberal and National parties?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Swan Hills for that question. I would have taken one from
the member for Pilbara, too, as there is a lot of positivity happening around
the state. Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen a major milestone in the
delivery of the Ellenbrook rail line. On Monday, 26 August, we marked a major milestone: the testing of the first train on the
Morley–Ellenbrook rail line. A train pulled into the Ellenbrook station for the first time as part of our extensive testing and commissioning.
Shortly, driver training will commence. By
the end of the year, we will have services in train. We have the new supporting
bus network . We have gone out for consultation with over 1 000 responses
so far. People along the Morley–Ellenbrook rail corridor are excited,
anticipating the opening of the rail line and what it means for their
communities.
We know it has been a journey to this
point. I reflect on the history, which is like a three-part series—the Ellenbrook trilogy. We introduced the first series
last year, which was ''The Liberal history of the Ellenbrook rail line.'' Do members remember that one?
They had key characters. There was ''Little Frankie'', the former member for Swan Hills who committed to the Ellenbrook rail line and did nothing
to deliver it. There were three transport ministers: Hon Simon O'Brien,
Hon Troy Buswell and Hon Bill Marmion. They all said that they would deliver a rail
line to Ellenbrook. Of course, the main character of that eight-year period was
the then Premier, who promised that rail line, not once, but twice. After eight
years—spoiler alert if no-one knows what happened next—they did
not deliver anything. There was no plan and not a centimetre of rail, despite
minister after minister promising it—nothing was delivered. Of course,
after eight and a half years, the bad guys were vanquished and the good guys
got in.
The second part of the series, ''A
Labor history of the Ellenbrook rail line'', is now complete. That means
we consulted and planned, and we are delivering across the network. Of course,
we consulted and we held Metronet forums. We signed the contract and now the
Morley, Noranda, Whiteman Park, Ballajura and Ellenbrook stations are either
complete or very nearly complete and there is testing underway.
The
third part of the trilogy will be the people of that corridor who will be able
to get on that train line by the end of the year. Those are the people
of Ellenbrook, Henley Brook, Brabham, Dayton, Alexander Heights, Landsdale,
Lockridge, Kiara, Morley, Bedford, Noranda—across the entire network.
They will be able to get onto our public transport. The other side only
promises to increase the fares, members. That is all it is promising. I think
it would shut down the Ellenbrook line if it could. All it is promising to the
people in that corridor and the outer suburbs is to increase public transport
fares. That is its only commitment on public transport.
The opening of the rail line will be
a vindication for all people in that corridor, and an example of a Liberal–National
Party that does not know what it stands for, represents chaos and dysfunction
in opposition, and potentially in government.
thank the member for Swan Hills for that question. I would have taken one from
the member for Pilbara, too, as there is a lot of positivity happening around
the state. Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen a major milestone in the
delivery of the Ellenbrook rail line. On Monday, 26 August, we marked a major milestone: the testing of the first train on the
Morley–Ellenbrook rail line. A train pulled into the Ellenbrook station for the first time as part of our extensive testing and commissioning.
Shortly, driver training will commence. By
the end of the year, we will have services in train. We have the new supporting
bus network . We have gone out for consultation with over 1 000 responses
so far. People along the Morley–Ellenbrook rail corridor are excited,
anticipating the opening of the rail line and what it means for their
communities.
We know it has been a journey to this
point. I reflect on the history, which is like a three-part series—the Ellenbrook trilogy. We introduced the first series
last year, which was ''The Liberal history of the Ellenbrook rail line.'' Do members remember that one?
They had key characters. There was ''Little Frankie'', the former member for Swan Hills who committed to the Ellenbrook rail line and did nothing
to deliver it. There were three transport ministers: Hon Simon O'Brien,
Hon Troy Buswell and Hon Bill Marmion. They all said that they would deliver a rail
line to Ellenbrook. Of course, the main character of that eight-year period was
the then Premier, who promised that rail line, not once, but twice. After eight
years—spoiler alert if no-one knows what happened next—they did
not deliver anything. There was no plan and not a centimetre of rail, despite
minister after minister promising it—nothing was delivered. Of course,
after eight and a half years, the bad guys were vanquished and the good guys
got in.
The second part of the series, ''A
Labor history of the Ellenbrook rail line'', is now complete. That means
we consulted and planned, and we are delivering across the network. Of course,
we consulted and we held Metronet forums. We signed the contract and now the
Morley, Noranda, Whiteman Park, Ballajura and Ellenbrook stations are either
complete or very nearly complete and there is testing underway.
The
third part of the trilogy will be the people of that corridor who will be able
to get on that train line by the end of the year. Those are the people
of Ellenbrook, Henley Brook, Brabham, Dayton, Alexander Heights, Landsdale,
Lockridge, Kiara, Morley, Bedford, Noranda—across the entire network.
They will be able to get onto our public transport. The other side only
promises to increase the fares, members. That is all it is promising. I think
it would shut down the Ellenbrook line if it could. All it is promising to the
people in that corridor and the outer suburbs is to increase public transport
fares. That is its only commitment on public transport.
The opening of the rail line will be
a vindication for all people in that corridor, and an example of a Liberal–National
Party that does not know what it stands for, represents chaos and dysfunction
in opposition, and potentially in government.
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