❓ Question regarding the government's stance on building Roe 8 and 9, given community concerns about road safety and congestion. The Minister defends the government's decision not to build Roe 8 and 9, highlighting alternative transport plans and criticising the Liberal Party's past inaction and current priorities.
AnsweredQoN 568Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROE HIGHWAY STAGES 8 AND
9
568. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Transport:
What does the minister say to the
thousands of Western Australians who want Roe —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member, you can
start again. Members, I want to hear this question, please.
Ms L. METTAM : What does the
minister say to the thousands of Western Australians who want Roe 8 and 9
built, given their concerns over road safety and congestion in the south west
metropolitan region?
9
568. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Transport:
What does the minister say to the
thousands of Western Australians who want Roe —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member, you can
start again. Members, I want to hear this question, please.
Ms L. METTAM : What does the
minister say to the thousands of Western Australians who want Roe 8 and 9
built, given their concerns over road safety and congestion in the south west
metropolitan region?
AnswerView source ↗
I will say a few things! First of
all, exhibit B from today—in 2008 Mike Nahan said, ''A Liberal
government will build Roe 8 if elected.'' I say to the Liberal Party,
why did the Liberal Party, which was in power for eight and a half years, not
build that project if it were so important to it? That is what I would say.
Another thing I would say is we took a clear plan to the election, and the plan
was not to build Roe 8–9; it was to get more freight on rail to support
intermodal transport, to upgrade the roads leading to Fremantle, and to plan
for an outer harbour. That is what we are delivering.
I will say another thing. Look at
all those road projects around Western Australia built with the Perth Freight
Link money and all those people benefiting from those, like the widening of the
Kwinana and Mitchell Freeways and the
Wanneroo Road overpasses. I could say that about the whole regional and
metropolitan area. I would also say that if the federal government has
$1.2 billion on the table for a project that we committed not to build, that
federal government should spend that money on regional roads today, members.
The regional run-off program, with the highest benefit–cost ratio—higher
than anything the previous government put forward—will save lives in
regional WA, if it has the money there. When the last members of the regional
Liberal Party were still here—the former one is over there somewhere—how
many regional Liberal Party members are there? I thought one of the last
remaining regional Liberal Party members in existence would be interested in
regional road safety. But he has turned his back on regional road safety, much
like the Liberal Party has turned its back on the poor member for Churchlands
over there. He might as well be in the dining room, members! We have a new
leader of opposition business. Because they had a few empty seats, they went up
to the member for Riverton and said, ''Move over; make sure you fill up
the spots.'' But they did not ask the member for Churchlands. They left
him there. They asked the member for Riverton to move over to be in the camera
shot but they left the member for Churchlands right over there. What did you
do, member for Churchlands? I do not know what you did but it must have been
very, very bad!
I say to people in the community
that the Liberal Party let them down. We are building road projects around the
state in regional WA and across the metropolitan area to reduce congestion and
improve safety.
all, exhibit B from today—in 2008 Mike Nahan said, ''A Liberal
government will build Roe 8 if elected.'' I say to the Liberal Party,
why did the Liberal Party, which was in power for eight and a half years, not
build that project if it were so important to it? That is what I would say.
Another thing I would say is we took a clear plan to the election, and the plan
was not to build Roe 8–9; it was to get more freight on rail to support
intermodal transport, to upgrade the roads leading to Fremantle, and to plan
for an outer harbour. That is what we are delivering.
I will say another thing. Look at
all those road projects around Western Australia built with the Perth Freight
Link money and all those people benefiting from those, like the widening of the
Kwinana and Mitchell Freeways and the
Wanneroo Road overpasses. I could say that about the whole regional and
metropolitan area. I would also say that if the federal government has
$1.2 billion on the table for a project that we committed not to build, that
federal government should spend that money on regional roads today, members.
The regional run-off program, with the highest benefit–cost ratio—higher
than anything the previous government put forward—will save lives in
regional WA, if it has the money there. When the last members of the regional
Liberal Party were still here—the former one is over there somewhere—how
many regional Liberal Party members are there? I thought one of the last
remaining regional Liberal Party members in existence would be interested in
regional road safety. But he has turned his back on regional road safety, much
like the Liberal Party has turned its back on the poor member for Churchlands
over there. He might as well be in the dining room, members! We have a new
leader of opposition business. Because they had a few empty seats, they went up
to the member for Riverton and said, ''Move over; make sure you fill up
the spots.'' But they did not ask the member for Churchlands. They left
him there. They asked the member for Riverton to move over to be in the camera
shot but they left the member for Churchlands right over there. What did you
do, member for Churchlands? I do not know what you did but it must have been
very, very bad!
I say to people in the community
that the Liberal Party let them down. We are building road projects around the
state in regional WA and across the metropolitan area to reduce congestion and
improve safety.
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