❓ A parliamentary question regarding the Cook Labor government's progress on major transport initiatives and public support, followed by a response highlighting project completions and criticising the Liberal Party's disunity and lack of plans.
AnsweredQoN 861Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRANSPORT — INFRASTRUCTURE
861. Mr T.J. HEALY to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment in
economy-driving infrastructure across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house of this government's progress on major
transport initiatives including Metronet and the regional road safety program
and the public support for those projects?
(2) Can the minister advise the house whether she is
aware of anything that is not as popular as these initiatives?
861. Mr T.J. HEALY to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment in
economy-driving infrastructure across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house of this government's progress on major
transport initiatives including Metronet and the regional road safety program
and the public support for those projects?
(2) Can the minister advise the house whether she is
aware of anything that is not as popular as these initiatives?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for that question. Of course, across the state, we have been
delivering record infrastructure. It has been creating jobs. It has been
helping support the cost of living and our economic growth, with record low
unemployment and record high economic growth. We have seen the completion of a number
of projects over the past four years including the new airport line, the
Lakelands train station and the new locally made C-series trains on our
network. Remember, the opposition said it could not be done—but we have
done it. We have brought back rail manufacturing to this state. We have
completed the Bayswater station. The 14.5 km extension of the Yanchep rail line
has been completed. In a couple of weeks, we
will open the Ellenbrook rail line. We have made huge progress on the Victoria
Park–Cannington level crossing removal, the Byford rail
extension and the Thornlie–Cockburn Link. The member can see those stations are very much now in the final
stages of completion. Across the state, the Albany Ring Road has been
completed and we are seeing great use of that, supporting the vibrancy of the
Albany city centre. We have 9 000 kilometres of regional road improvements
around the state. The Bunbury Outer Ring Road will
be opening very soon, as will the new Causeway pedestrian and cycling bridges
in a few weeks. There is new technology on our freeways, with both the Kwinana
Freeway technology in the south and across the Mitchell Freeway. Of course,
member for Kimberley, we did incredible work in the replacement on the Fitzroy River Bridge, and, opening very soon, the
Brooking Channel Bridge. The feedback is that these projects are very much well supported across the
state. There is significant popular support for what we are doing.
What
does not seem to have much support in this state is, of course, the Liberal
Party. Over the past 24 hours, we have seen a dysfunctional, chaotic,
divided party. On the other side we now have three leaders of the opposition:
the formal Leader of the Opposition, with the driver in the car; the Leader of
the Liberal Party, who wants to be the Leader of the Opposition; and now, the
other wannabe Leader of the Opposition, Basil Zempilas, the candidate for
Churchlands. It was actually the Leader of the Liberal Party who turned this
phrase: ''the cowards in the shadows''. These cowards in the
shadows have been out there for the past three
weeks undertaking polling against the leader and then working to make sure that
everyone knew about it. After nearly eight years of opposition, what is
their plan for WA? They lost another shadow Treasurer today, members—just
like that! That is another shadow Treasurer that they have lost.
We
have a state with a very strong set of books and a growing economy. They have
an opposition of six and they cannot even agree among themselves. We now
have another leader out there: the wannabe leader, the candidate for
Churchlands. There is complete dysfunction and chaos. We saw again today why
people are not trusting the Liberal Party in WA. There were questions today
again attacking everything and being negative about everything. There is no
plan for the state, no plan for jobs, no plan for infrastructure and no real
plan for health. There are no plans for the state. This divided, dysfunctional,
chaotic Liberal Party is an embarrassment to Liberal Party leaders of the past.
Again, it does not have a willingness or keenness to develop a plan for this
state. It is dysfunctional and chaotic.
thank the member for that question. Of course, across the state, we have been
delivering record infrastructure. It has been creating jobs. It has been
helping support the cost of living and our economic growth, with record low
unemployment and record high economic growth. We have seen the completion of a number
of projects over the past four years including the new airport line, the
Lakelands train station and the new locally made C-series trains on our
network. Remember, the opposition said it could not be done—but we have
done it. We have brought back rail manufacturing to this state. We have
completed the Bayswater station. The 14.5 km extension of the Yanchep rail line
has been completed. In a couple of weeks, we
will open the Ellenbrook rail line. We have made huge progress on the Victoria
Park–Cannington level crossing removal, the Byford rail
extension and the Thornlie–Cockburn Link. The member can see those stations are very much now in the final
stages of completion. Across the state, the Albany Ring Road has been
completed and we are seeing great use of that, supporting the vibrancy of the
Albany city centre. We have 9 000 kilometres of regional road improvements
around the state. The Bunbury Outer Ring Road will
be opening very soon, as will the new Causeway pedestrian and cycling bridges
in a few weeks. There is new technology on our freeways, with both the Kwinana
Freeway technology in the south and across the Mitchell Freeway. Of course,
member for Kimberley, we did incredible work in the replacement on the Fitzroy River Bridge, and, opening very soon, the
Brooking Channel Bridge. The feedback is that these projects are very much well supported across the
state. There is significant popular support for what we are doing.
What
does not seem to have much support in this state is, of course, the Liberal
Party. Over the past 24 hours, we have seen a dysfunctional, chaotic,
divided party. On the other side we now have three leaders of the opposition:
the formal Leader of the Opposition, with the driver in the car; the Leader of
the Liberal Party, who wants to be the Leader of the Opposition; and now, the
other wannabe Leader of the Opposition, Basil Zempilas, the candidate for
Churchlands. It was actually the Leader of the Liberal Party who turned this
phrase: ''the cowards in the shadows''. These cowards in the
shadows have been out there for the past three
weeks undertaking polling against the leader and then working to make sure that
everyone knew about it. After nearly eight years of opposition, what is
their plan for WA? They lost another shadow Treasurer today, members—just
like that! That is another shadow Treasurer that they have lost.
We
have a state with a very strong set of books and a growing economy. They have
an opposition of six and they cannot even agree among themselves. We now
have another leader out there: the wannabe leader, the candidate for
Churchlands. There is complete dysfunction and chaos. We saw again today why
people are not trusting the Liberal Party in WA. There were questions today
again attacking everything and being negative about everything. There is no
plan for the state, no plan for jobs, no plan for infrastructure and no real
plan for health. There are no plans for the state. This divided, dysfunctional,
chaotic Liberal Party is an embarrassment to Liberal Party leaders of the past.
Again, it does not have a willingness or keenness to develop a plan for this
state. It is dysfunctional and chaotic.
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