❓ Question regarding the Cook Labor government's public transport infrastructure investments in Perth's outer suburbs and awareness of opposition to these plans. The Minister's answer is a highly partisan attack on the opposition.
AnsweredQoN 254Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Public transport—Infrastructure254.Mr Rhys Williamsto
theMinister for Transport:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to connect Western Australians through quality
public transport.(1) Can the minister outline to the house how this
government is transforming Perth's outer suburbs through targeted infrastructure
investment?(2) Can the minister advise the house whether she
is aware of any opposition to this government's plan for better access, quality
and equity through modern transport infrastructure?
theMinister for Transport:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to connect Western Australians through quality
public transport.(1) Can the minister outline to the house how this
government is transforming Perth's outer suburbs through targeted infrastructure
investment?(2) Can the minister advise the house whether she
is aware of any opposition to this government's plan for better access, quality
and equity through modern transport infrastructure?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
25 June 2025
Response time
0 days
Ms Rita Saffioti replied:(1)-(2) I thank the member for Mandurah for that
question. Yesterday in the whole range of speeches given by members on the other
side, we heard their pure hatred of Metronet come out yet again—their
pure hatred of people in the suburbs getting connected to world-class public
transport. Over the past year, the extension of the rail line to Yanchep, the
Morley–Ellenbrook rail line, the Thornlie–Cockburn Link and the
elevated rail projects have been completed. We have seen thousands of people
jump on board to catch these new train services across the suburbs. Opposition
speaker after opposition speaker basically said that they do not care about
people who want to catch public transport in this state. Yesterday in a debate
on housing, opposition members said that we should not build any transport
infrastructure to connect houses to anywhere; we should just build houses with
no roads and no rail line. That would be the planning under a Liberal–National
government. Yesterday, the Leader of the National Party said:I do not know whether members
have had a look at a map of the city of Perth at the moment or flown up the
north coast, but when you get past Joondalup there is a very skinny little
development of blocks between the freeway and the beach.Did we know that there is no development
past Joondalup? I do not think that is correct.Mr Mark Folkardinterjected.Ms Rita Saffioti:Do you exist? I thought you needed a
constituency to be here, member! Do you exist? I do not think the member for
Mindarie exists. Does the member for Butler exist or does she represent
imaginary people? These are just some of the suburbs north of Joondalup: Iluka,
Currambine, Burns Beach, Kinross, Clarkson, Mindarie, Ridgewood, Quinns Rock,
Jindalee, Butler, Alkimos, Eglinton, Yanchep and Two Rocks. That is a quick
summation of some of the suburbs north of Joondalup. What the Leader of the
Nationals had to say about Ellenbrook is one of my favourites:… but I did drive down there. I
was shocked to see train stations sitting out in cow paddocks! There will not
be too many passengers on those trains until you actually build houses.I downloaded our version
from Nearmap.Mr David Michaelinterjected.Ms Rita Saffioti:Yes, at least he got out of
inner-city Perth.Look at Morley, everybody!
There are quite a few houses around Morley. They are not cow paddocks! Look at Noranda,
members—a lot of houses. Look at Ballajura, members—a lot of
houses. Look at Brabham—a lot of houses and more to come. Look at
Ellenbrook—thousands upon thousands upon thousands. I do not think that
member has ever gone to the suburbs. He is either in the inner-city or visiting
some country town occasionally.A government member
interjected.Ms Rita Saffioti:Or Clive Palmer's jet—good
point!Of course, the Liberal
Party has complete disdain for people in the suburbs. Its view of Western
Australia is that people should not be catching public transport. We are so
proud of the fact that we are connecting people living in the suburbs. For
eight years—now for the ninth—members opposite have again and
again rejected policies that assist people in the suburbs. What we have seen in
this budget response is exactly what we have seen for the past eight years—a
complete refusal to accept that people live in the suburbs and that they need
world-class infrastructure and services.
Public transport—Infrastructure
question. Yesterday in the whole range of speeches given by members on the other
side, we heard their pure hatred of Metronet come out yet again—their
pure hatred of people in the suburbs getting connected to world-class public
transport. Over the past year, the extension of the rail line to Yanchep, the
Morley–Ellenbrook rail line, the Thornlie–Cockburn Link and the
elevated rail projects have been completed. We have seen thousands of people
jump on board to catch these new train services across the suburbs. Opposition
speaker after opposition speaker basically said that they do not care about
people who want to catch public transport in this state. Yesterday in a debate
on housing, opposition members said that we should not build any transport
infrastructure to connect houses to anywhere; we should just build houses with
no roads and no rail line. That would be the planning under a Liberal–National
government. Yesterday, the Leader of the National Party said:I do not know whether members
have had a look at a map of the city of Perth at the moment or flown up the
north coast, but when you get past Joondalup there is a very skinny little
development of blocks between the freeway and the beach.Did we know that there is no development
past Joondalup? I do not think that is correct.Mr Mark Folkardinterjected.Ms Rita Saffioti:Do you exist? I thought you needed a
constituency to be here, member! Do you exist? I do not think the member for
Mindarie exists. Does the member for Butler exist or does she represent
imaginary people? These are just some of the suburbs north of Joondalup: Iluka,
Currambine, Burns Beach, Kinross, Clarkson, Mindarie, Ridgewood, Quinns Rock,
Jindalee, Butler, Alkimos, Eglinton, Yanchep and Two Rocks. That is a quick
summation of some of the suburbs north of Joondalup. What the Leader of the
Nationals had to say about Ellenbrook is one of my favourites:… but I did drive down there. I
was shocked to see train stations sitting out in cow paddocks! There will not
be too many passengers on those trains until you actually build houses.I downloaded our version
from Nearmap.Mr David Michaelinterjected.Ms Rita Saffioti:Yes, at least he got out of
inner-city Perth.Look at Morley, everybody!
There are quite a few houses around Morley. They are not cow paddocks! Look at Noranda,
members—a lot of houses. Look at Ballajura, members—a lot of
houses. Look at Brabham—a lot of houses and more to come. Look at
Ellenbrook—thousands upon thousands upon thousands. I do not think that
member has ever gone to the suburbs. He is either in the inner-city or visiting
some country town occasionally.A government member
interjected.Ms Rita Saffioti:Or Clive Palmer's jet—good
point!Of course, the Liberal
Party has complete disdain for people in the suburbs. Its view of Western
Australia is that people should not be catching public transport. We are so
proud of the fact that we are connecting people living in the suburbs. For
eight years—now for the ninth—members opposite have again and
again rejected policies that assist people in the suburbs. What we have seen in
this budget response is exactly what we have seen for the past eight years—a
complete refusal to accept that people live in the suburbs and that they need
world-class infrastructure and services.
Public transport—Infrastructure
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