❓ Ferry terminal—Matilda Bay, Nedlands 34. Mr Jonathan Huston to the Minister for Transport: I understand that a delegation from the minister's office visited and spoke to Sailability WA and disabled sa
AnsweredQoN 34Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Ferry terminal—Matilda Bay, Nedlands
34. Mr Jonathan Huston to the Minister for Transport:
I understand that a
delegation from the minister's office visited and spoke to Sailability WA and
disabled sailors in the last week or so.
(1) Does the minister now agree that a 140-metre
ferry terminal at Matilda Bay, operating every 15 to 25 minutes, will lead to
the termination of Sailability as the only blind and disabled Paralympic sailing
program in Australia?
(2) Does she concede that ferries in Brisbane and
Sydney do not interact with disabled sailors, as she has previously indicated?
(3) What is her response to Indigenous concerns
that were raised at the rally today in terms of the harm to traditional areas
and the natural environment?
(4) Will she continue to ignore 8,000 petitioners,
68% of whom do not come from Nedlands, and those who attended the rally today
or will she listen and act on their valid concerns?
(Interruption from
the gallery.)
The Speaker: Minister, just before you start, members
of the gallery, there are to be no interjections or noise coming from up there,
please.
34. Mr Jonathan Huston to the Minister for Transport:
I understand that a
delegation from the minister's office visited and spoke to Sailability WA and
disabled sailors in the last week or so.
(1) Does the minister now agree that a 140-metre
ferry terminal at Matilda Bay, operating every 15 to 25 minutes, will lead to
the termination of Sailability as the only blind and disabled Paralympic sailing
program in Australia?
(2) Does she concede that ferries in Brisbane and
Sydney do not interact with disabled sailors, as she has previously indicated?
(3) What is her response to Indigenous concerns
that were raised at the rally today in terms of the harm to traditional areas
and the natural environment?
(4) Will she continue to ignore 8,000 petitioners,
68% of whom do not come from Nedlands, and those who attended the rally today
or will she listen and act on their valid concerns?
(Interruption from
the gallery.)
The Speaker: Minister, just before you start, members
of the gallery, there are to be no interjections or noise coming from up there,
please.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) I thank the member for Nedlands
for that question. I will start with Sailability. We understand the concerns of
the Sailability group, and that is why we will continue to work with that group
to ensure that its incredible services continue. Our office and our staff have
always put that offer on the table, and we will continue to work with that
group.
In relation to the site at
Matilda Bay, as we have highlighted on a number of occasions, we undertook a
multi-criteria analysis. That analysis is on the website, and I want to go
through it yet again because I think facts are important in this discussion.
Facts are very important. In relation to the petition that was circulated, it
was simply full of mistruths. It was not factual. Let us go through the facts assessing
each option. I will go through them. Five sites were selected for assessment,
including north Matilda Bay, central Matilda Bay and south Matilda Bay. I just want
to look at the environmental impact. Pelican Point was seen as having a significant
environmental impact. Swan Estuary Marine Park is protected habitat for
migratory birds, has a significant seagrass population, is a Bush Forever site
and has a higher flooding risk. Jojo's jetty is adjacent to the marine park and
has a significant seagrass population, is adjacent to a Bush Forever site and
has higher flooding risk.
In relation to transport
connectivity, I want to make the point that a lot of people with disability
catch public transport too, and I think the concept that we should build a
ferry stop so that people with access issues have to travel over a kilometre is
also a problem, member. We have to look at the entire community. I understand that
people do not like change. I have been in this job long enough to know that
people do not like change. As a government, we have a responsibility to deal
with the facts. We commission independent experts.
If I were to turn my back on this independent analysis for purely political
reasons, that would be bad public policy.
As I said, we understand the
concerns of Sailability and we will continue to work with it, but this is about
public transport on the Swan River. It is about accessibility, equity and opportunity.
I understand that some people do not like that there will be a ferry there.
People do not seem to mind the private watercraft that are there, but somehow
public transport is now seen as something that is not acceptable. People do not
mind the moorings there that are used by private boat owners; that is okay,
apparently. We are here for the public interest. There is strong public
interest to deliver a ferry service across the Swan River. We are here to make
sure that we have accessibility, equity and opportunity.
I have had challenges in
delivering a lot of projects. People have been opposed to Metronet and opposed
to public transport everywhere, but I am deeply committed to ensuring that
Western Australians have access to more public transport, more options and, of
course, access to the University of Western Australia.
for that question. I will start with Sailability. We understand the concerns of
the Sailability group, and that is why we will continue to work with that group
to ensure that its incredible services continue. Our office and our staff have
always put that offer on the table, and we will continue to work with that
group.
In relation to the site at
Matilda Bay, as we have highlighted on a number of occasions, we undertook a
multi-criteria analysis. That analysis is on the website, and I want to go
through it yet again because I think facts are important in this discussion.
Facts are very important. In relation to the petition that was circulated, it
was simply full of mistruths. It was not factual. Let us go through the facts assessing
each option. I will go through them. Five sites were selected for assessment,
including north Matilda Bay, central Matilda Bay and south Matilda Bay. I just want
to look at the environmental impact. Pelican Point was seen as having a significant
environmental impact. Swan Estuary Marine Park is protected habitat for
migratory birds, has a significant seagrass population, is a Bush Forever site
and has a higher flooding risk. Jojo's jetty is adjacent to the marine park and
has a significant seagrass population, is adjacent to a Bush Forever site and
has higher flooding risk.
In relation to transport
connectivity, I want to make the point that a lot of people with disability
catch public transport too, and I think the concept that we should build a
ferry stop so that people with access issues have to travel over a kilometre is
also a problem, member. We have to look at the entire community. I understand that
people do not like change. I have been in this job long enough to know that
people do not like change. As a government, we have a responsibility to deal
with the facts. We commission independent experts.
If I were to turn my back on this independent analysis for purely political
reasons, that would be bad public policy.
As I said, we understand the
concerns of Sailability and we will continue to work with it, but this is about
public transport on the Swan River. It is about accessibility, equity and opportunity.
I understand that some people do not like that there will be a ferry there.
People do not seem to mind the private watercraft that are there, but somehow
public transport is now seen as something that is not acceptable. People do not
mind the moorings there that are used by private boat owners; that is okay,
apparently. We are here for the public interest. There is strong public
interest to deliver a ferry service across the Swan River. We are here to make
sure that we have accessibility, equity and opportunity.
I have had challenges in
delivering a lot of projects. People have been opposed to Metronet and opposed
to public transport everywhere, but I am deeply committed to ensuring that
Western Australians have access to more public transport, more options and, of
course, access to the University of Western Australia.
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