❓ Question regarding the Cook Labor government's investment in Kimberley road infrastructure, specifically the Fitzroy River Bridge and Tanami Road, and the associated employment opportunities for local people. The Minister's answer highlights progress, local engagement, and criticizes the opposition's past record.
AnsweredQoN 487Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROADS
— KIMBERLEY
487. Ms L. DALTON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record $5.3 billion investment in roads in regional Western Australia. Can the
minister outline to the house how this government is transforming road
connections in the Kimberley region, including through the new Fitzroy River
Bridge and the sealing of the Tanami Road, and can the minister advise how this
investment is creating employment opportunities for local people?
— KIMBERLEY
487. Ms L. DALTON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
record $5.3 billion investment in roads in regional Western Australia. Can the
minister outline to the house how this government is transforming road
connections in the Kimberley region, including through the new Fitzroy River
Bridge and the sealing of the Tanami Road, and can the minister advise how this
investment is creating employment opportunities for local people?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for Geraldton for the question. We are undertaking significant
roadworks throughout the K imberley
region. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the Fitzroy with the member
for Kimberley to see progress on the Fitzroy River Bridge. As we know, the
Fitzroy River Bridge was washed away in the floods that occurred in January
this year, and we are now seeing progress being made on the new Fitzroy River
Bridge. We have seen the demolition of the old bridge and the construction of
piers in the river bed, and we will soon see the building of the deck. There
has been massive progress; it is very significant. Importantly, the government
is doing this with a lot of support from local businesses and local people,
with 100 members of the local community involved in the project and around a quarter
of the total crew hours having been worked by local Aboriginal people. At the
end of July, $6.1 million had been
spent with local Aboriginal-owned businesses in the Kimberley, and Aboriginal
people accounted for 26 per cent of
the hours worked. Of course, we are undertaking the same process with the
sealing of the Tanami Road. We are making sure that we engage with local people
and provide local training and employment opportunities.
The state and federal governments
have committed over $500 million to this project. Currently, four new local
Aboriginal businesses have been engaged in the project with another two
commencing soon and more than $15 million in contracts has been awarded to
Aboriginal businesses. I am really proud of the work that is happening
throughout the area. I am proud of the progress that is being made. It is
disappointing to hear members of the Liberal Party criticise the workers who
are out there delivering this magnificent project. They criticise the local
Aboriginal people building that project and the contractors who are out there.
The progress is incredible.
As I have said before, I sometimes
go through the Facebook comments of opposition members and some of the
responses. We know Hon Nick Goiran and Linda Reynolds are always out there
going, ''Well done! Well done, Libby!'' We know members on their
own side do that. However, interestingly, there are people out there who
remember the previous government's record on infrastructure in Western Australia.
It privatised Westrail freight, closed
regional rail lines and outsourced the Main Roads Western Australia contracts,
which basically saw Aboriginal employment plummet in those areas. It
basically destroyed Aboriginal employment opportunities in Main Roads across
the state. In response to the Leader of the Liberal Party's comments
about the Fitzroy River Bridge, I want to raise in this place one particular
comment. It says, according to my notes: Libby, while you were in power last
time, your government closed the major transport infrastructure because the
then transport minister's family owned a trucking business. I've
asked the Liberal pollies why that happened and why they're still
waiting for answers.
We have an opposition that
privatised our rail lines, closed rail lines in regional Western Australia and
outsourced maintenance—so much so that we are now rebuilding employment
opportunities and jobs throughout regional Western Australia.
thank the member for Geraldton for the question. We are undertaking significant
roadworks throughout the K imberley
region. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the Fitzroy with the member
for Kimberley to see progress on the Fitzroy River Bridge. As we know, the
Fitzroy River Bridge was washed away in the floods that occurred in January
this year, and we are now seeing progress being made on the new Fitzroy River
Bridge. We have seen the demolition of the old bridge and the construction of
piers in the river bed, and we will soon see the building of the deck. There
has been massive progress; it is very significant. Importantly, the government
is doing this with a lot of support from local businesses and local people,
with 100 members of the local community involved in the project and around a quarter
of the total crew hours having been worked by local Aboriginal people. At the
end of July, $6.1 million had been
spent with local Aboriginal-owned businesses in the Kimberley, and Aboriginal
people accounted for 26 per cent of
the hours worked. Of course, we are undertaking the same process with the
sealing of the Tanami Road. We are making sure that we engage with local people
and provide local training and employment opportunities.
The state and federal governments
have committed over $500 million to this project. Currently, four new local
Aboriginal businesses have been engaged in the project with another two
commencing soon and more than $15 million in contracts has been awarded to
Aboriginal businesses. I am really proud of the work that is happening
throughout the area. I am proud of the progress that is being made. It is
disappointing to hear members of the Liberal Party criticise the workers who
are out there delivering this magnificent project. They criticise the local
Aboriginal people building that project and the contractors who are out there.
The progress is incredible.
As I have said before, I sometimes
go through the Facebook comments of opposition members and some of the
responses. We know Hon Nick Goiran and Linda Reynolds are always out there
going, ''Well done! Well done, Libby!'' We know members on their
own side do that. However, interestingly, there are people out there who
remember the previous government's record on infrastructure in Western Australia.
It privatised Westrail freight, closed
regional rail lines and outsourced the Main Roads Western Australia contracts,
which basically saw Aboriginal employment plummet in those areas. It
basically destroyed Aboriginal employment opportunities in Main Roads across
the state. In response to the Leader of the Liberal Party's comments
about the Fitzroy River Bridge, I want to raise in this place one particular
comment. It says, according to my notes: Libby, while you were in power last
time, your government closed the major transport infrastructure because the
then transport minister's family owned a trucking business. I've
asked the Liberal pollies why that happened and why they're still
waiting for answers.
We have an opposition that
privatised our rail lines, closed rail lines in regional Western Australia and
outsourced maintenance—so much so that we are now rebuilding employment
opportunities and jobs throughout regional Western Australia.
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