❓ Liberal Leader Libby Mettam questions the Premier's infrastructure investment priorities given pressing issues like women's safety, housing shortages, and ambulance ramping. The Premier defends the investment, highlighting job creation, economic growth, and increased spending on housing, policing, and healthcare.
AnsweredQoN 809Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COOK GOVERNMENT — INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
809. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
misguided announcement yesterday regarding yet another multibillion-dollar
investment in a transport project. With Western Australia being the most
dangerous state to be a woman, our housing market facing a 10 000-home
shortfall every year —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. METTAM : — and
ambulance ramping at record highs, is another $7 billion transport port
project, due in two decades, really the
Premier's solution to the rolling crises that have happened under his
watch in Western Australia?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
There is quite a lot to unpack there.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Can I ask the
Premier to try to keep his answer brief?
809. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
misguided announcement yesterday regarding yet another multibillion-dollar
investment in a transport project. With Western Australia being the most
dangerous state to be a woman, our housing market facing a 10 000-home
shortfall every year —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. METTAM : — and
ambulance ramping at record highs, is another $7 billion transport port
project, due in two decades, really the
Premier's solution to the rolling crises that have happened under his
watch in Western Australia?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
There is quite a lot to unpack there.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Can I ask the
Premier to try to keep his answer brief?
AnswerView source ↗
Since we were elected, over 320 000
jobs have been created. Since the pandemic, the economy has grown by 24 per cent.
We know where our priorities lie, which is in making sure Western Australians
have jobs. We know that housing is important, which is why we have invested
$3.2 billion in social and affordable housing alone.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr R.H. COOK : We know that
community safety is important.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Deputy Premier. Before the Premier continues, I want to give some advice to the Leader of
the Liberal Party. If you continue to interject in the way that you have been
by asking lots more questions whilst the Premier is trying to answer your
question, you will not get a supplementary question.
Mr R.H. COOK : We now have
an extra 322 cops on the beat in the last 12 months alone. There has been a decrease in overall criminal offences compared with 2016, when crime peaked under the
Liberal–National government. The annual
budget for health is up 33 per cent since 2017. In 2024–25 alone, we
are investing $12.8 billion in health care . We have spent nearly $50 billion since 2021–22. Our priorities
speak for themselves. We want Western Australians to continue to live in
the strongest economy in the nation. We want to make stuff here. We want to set
up the state for the future and that requires long-term economic plans and
long-term economic infrastructure so that we can continue to make sure Western Australians
live in the strongest state in the country.
jobs have been created. Since the pandemic, the economy has grown by 24 per cent.
We know where our priorities lie, which is in making sure Western Australians
have jobs. We know that housing is important, which is why we have invested
$3.2 billion in social and affordable housing alone.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr R.H. COOK : We know that
community safety is important.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Deputy Premier. Before the Premier continues, I want to give some advice to the Leader of
the Liberal Party. If you continue to interject in the way that you have been
by asking lots more questions whilst the Premier is trying to answer your
question, you will not get a supplementary question.
Mr R.H. COOK : We now have
an extra 322 cops on the beat in the last 12 months alone. There has been a decrease in overall criminal offences compared with 2016, when crime peaked under the
Liberal–National government. The annual
budget for health is up 33 per cent since 2017. In 2024–25 alone, we
are investing $12.8 billion in health care . We have spent nearly $50 billion since 2021–22. Our priorities
speak for themselves. We want Western Australians to continue to live in
the strongest economy in the nation. We want to make stuff here. We want to set
up the state for the future and that requires long-term economic plans and
long-term economic infrastructure so that we can continue to make sure Western Australians
live in the strongest state in the country.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.