❓ The Minister for Transport provides an update on the McGowan Labor government's investment in regional roads, highlighting projects like the Albany ring-road and comparing their investment to the previous Liberal-National government's record.
AnsweredQoN 797Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE —
REGIONS
797. Ms R.S. STEPHENS to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's unprecedented investment in transport infrastructure
across WA, which supports local jobs and local businesses. Can the minister
update the house on this government's investment in regional roads,
including the Albany ring-road, and outline what it has meant for communities,
workers and businesses across regional WA, and can the minister outline to the
house how this government's record of investing in regions compares
with the previous Liberal–National government?
REGIONS
797. Ms R.S. STEPHENS to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's unprecedented investment in transport infrastructure
across WA, which supports local jobs and local businesses. Can the minister
update the house on this government's investment in regional roads,
including the Albany ring-road, and outline what it has meant for communities,
workers and businesses across regional WA, and can the minister outline to the
house how this government's record of investing in regions compares
with the previous Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
As we near the end of the
parliamentary year, it is good to look back over the year and see what has been
achieved across Western Australia. Of course, down in Albany, where we were a couple
of weeks ago, we can see firsthand the
incredible delivery of improved roads across WA. I do not have a big graph—it
is just a little graph—but it shows that under the last year of
the previous Liberal–National government, around $650 million was spent
on regional roads. In our last financial year, $1.4 billion was spent on
regional roads, members. What a transformation is happening throughout regional WA! Of course, we just have to look at the
work happening on the Albany ring-road —a project that will not
only deliver much improved safety and amenity in the middle of Albany, but, of
course, will also help with the freight task and moving product to the port in
a quicker and more efficient way.
We could go around the whole state.
We were in the Pilbara, again, a couple of weeks ago, working to deliver in
partnership with industry. The Hedland road and rail initiative will, again,
improve safety and productivity for regional WA and for industry in that area.
Of course, the massive investment in the Bunbury Outer Ring Road in the south west will do so much to reduce travel
times into the south west, improve safety in the entire region, and, of course, link to the Bunbury port, improving the ability to expand that port and
create further jobs and opportunities. Across
the state, there is the regional road safety program. There are improvements to
the Bussell Highway. Members will have
noticed that. Works are underway along the Great Eastern Highway. There are
projects through the Great Northern Highway and on the Brand and
Brookton Highways. There are a number of projects across the state.
Importantly, we are supporting local businesses and local workers in the
delivery of our work. We have spent over
$300 million with local businesses, $20 million of which was with Aboriginal
businesses, for the Bunbury Outer Ring Road, for example. Across the
transport portfolio, we are looking at awarding $700 million worth of contracts
and 3.5 million hours of work for Aboriginal businesses in the next five years.
Members, we are delivering across regional WA. The demand is high because the
previous government did not invest in regional roads. That is why we are
investing a record amount, with the aim of improving safety and productivity.
We are also bringing road
maintenance back in-house to support regional jobs. Our access and equity
program will give disadvantaged young people in our regions access to a driver's
licence so that they can enter the workforce and help contribute to building
and maintaining our roads. Another project across the transport portfolio is
our new regional airfares cap. That commitment is delivering hundreds of
dollars' worth of savings to regional Western Australians. Regional
airfares were neglected by the previous government. We are doing what we can to
improve the affordability and accessibility of airfares across the state.
parliamentary year, it is good to look back over the year and see what has been
achieved across Western Australia. Of course, down in Albany, where we were a couple
of weeks ago, we can see firsthand the
incredible delivery of improved roads across WA. I do not have a big graph—it
is just a little graph—but it shows that under the last year of
the previous Liberal–National government, around $650 million was spent
on regional roads. In our last financial year, $1.4 billion was spent on
regional roads, members. What a transformation is happening throughout regional WA! Of course, we just have to look at the
work happening on the Albany ring-road —a project that will not
only deliver much improved safety and amenity in the middle of Albany, but, of
course, will also help with the freight task and moving product to the port in
a quicker and more efficient way.
We could go around the whole state.
We were in the Pilbara, again, a couple of weeks ago, working to deliver in
partnership with industry. The Hedland road and rail initiative will, again,
improve safety and productivity for regional WA and for industry in that area.
Of course, the massive investment in the Bunbury Outer Ring Road in the south west will do so much to reduce travel
times into the south west, improve safety in the entire region, and, of course, link to the Bunbury port, improving the ability to expand that port and
create further jobs and opportunities. Across
the state, there is the regional road safety program. There are improvements to
the Bussell Highway. Members will have
noticed that. Works are underway along the Great Eastern Highway. There are
projects through the Great Northern Highway and on the Brand and
Brookton Highways. There are a number of projects across the state.
Importantly, we are supporting local businesses and local workers in the
delivery of our work. We have spent over
$300 million with local businesses, $20 million of which was with Aboriginal
businesses, for the Bunbury Outer Ring Road, for example. Across the
transport portfolio, we are looking at awarding $700 million worth of contracts
and 3.5 million hours of work for Aboriginal businesses in the next five years.
Members, we are delivering across regional WA. The demand is high because the
previous government did not invest in regional roads. That is why we are
investing a record amount, with the aim of improving safety and productivity.
We are also bringing road
maintenance back in-house to support regional jobs. Our access and equity
program will give disadvantaged young people in our regions access to a driver's
licence so that they can enter the workforce and help contribute to building
and maintaining our roads. Another project across the transport portfolio is
our new regional airfares cap. That commitment is delivering hundreds of
dollars' worth of savings to regional Western Australians. Regional
airfares were neglected by the previous government. We are doing what we can to
improve the affordability and accessibility of airfares across the state.
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