❓ Mr. Price asks about the progress and benefits of Metronet, and potential threats to its delivery. The Minister responds by listing Metronet projects, criticising the opposition's knowledge of the budget, and making light of a Liberal Party meeting.
AnsweredQoN 348Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METRONET PROJECTS
348. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Transport:
Fortunately, my question is to the
Minister for Transport, who is here!
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating public transport
infrastructure, such as Metronet.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery of Metronet and outline what it will
mean for public transport users and the local community?
(2) Can the
minister advise whether there are any threats to the delivery of Metronet in
the local jobs and local businesses that this investment is supporting?
348. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Transport:
Fortunately, my question is to the
Minister for Transport, who is here!
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating public transport
infrastructure, such as Metronet.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery of Metronet and outline what it will
mean for public transport users and the local community?
(2) Can the
minister advise whether there are any threats to the delivery of Metronet in
the local jobs and local businesses that this investment is supporting?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Forrestfield.
Of course, the Forrestfield–Airport Link is currently in the testing
phase. It is a very exciting project for the people in the member's
community.
(1)–(2) As part of the recent federal election, the
federal Labor Party committed to the new High Wycombe community hub,
which will be an exciting new community facility for everyone in the
Forrestfield–High Wycombe areas. There are now more than 18 Metronet
projects, members. We started with just under nine projects and now there are
18 because a lot of people —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Members
should note that when we started question time 15 minutes ago, the opposition
had six members and now it is down to three—no,
it is back to four. Given that the opposition wants to make parliamentary attendance an issue, opposition members should stick to their seats during
question time.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I do not need a further contribution from you. Minister, if I can ask
you to return to the answer. Thank you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The projects
include the Forrestfield–Airport Link, the Thornlie–Cockburn
Link, the Yanchep rail extension, the Morley–Ellenbrook line, the
Byford rail extension, the Victoria Park–Canning level crossings and
new projects, such as the one on Morrison Road. We have completed the Denny
Avenue project and the Mandurah train station. Of course, we also have the
Bellevue rail car manufacturing facility. The good thing is that it is all in
the budget; all the information is in the budget. The latest shadow minister
for Metronet—I think he is a member for North Metropolitan Region in
the upper house—is out there claiming that he does not know where all the numbers are, that he does not know what
the cost of Metronet is and that he does not know what the operating cost of Metronet is. I tell you what; it is called the state budget, members.
When members open the budget papers, they
can find the information. Again, now that we no longer have a federal Morrison
government, the state opposition is ready to walk away from Metronet.
That is what the state Liberal Party wants to do—it wants to walk away
from Metronet, which is saying that people in the suburbs do not deserve
world-class public transport.
We heard about the secret Liberal Party meeting at the WA
Italian Club recently, did we not? As members know, I go to the Italian Club a bit.
I was there recently, and I thought, ''I'm going to try to find
out where they held the secret Liberal Party meeting.'' I went to the
ballroom, which holds 500 people, but, no, there was no sign of them there. I went
to the restaurant, which holds a couple of hundred people, to see whether that
is where they had the Liberal Party meeting, but, no, it was a bit too big. I went
down to the bar, which holds a couple of hundred people, to see whether that is
where they held their Liberal Party meeting but, no, that was a bit too much. I
found a little card room where my father used to play cards, which had a couple
of tables and an espresso machine, and I realised that that is where they held
the Liberal Party meeting. Fortunately, on the whiteboard that was still there,
were the three key strategies of how to win the next election. The first was to
not mention ''The Clan'': ''Whatever you do, don't mention ''The Clan''.
The second strategy was ''Keep committing to the Perth Freight Link. ''Honk
for Roe 8 '' days have to come back.'' The third was, ''Who's
got Justin Langer's phone number?''
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Of course, the Forrestfield–Airport Link is currently in the testing
phase. It is a very exciting project for the people in the member's
community.
(1)–(2) As part of the recent federal election, the
federal Labor Party committed to the new High Wycombe community hub,
which will be an exciting new community facility for everyone in the
Forrestfield–High Wycombe areas. There are now more than 18 Metronet
projects, members. We started with just under nine projects and now there are
18 because a lot of people —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Members
should note that when we started question time 15 minutes ago, the opposition
had six members and now it is down to three—no,
it is back to four. Given that the opposition wants to make parliamentary attendance an issue, opposition members should stick to their seats during
question time.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I do not need a further contribution from you. Minister, if I can ask
you to return to the answer. Thank you.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The projects
include the Forrestfield–Airport Link, the Thornlie–Cockburn
Link, the Yanchep rail extension, the Morley–Ellenbrook line, the
Byford rail extension, the Victoria Park–Canning level crossings and
new projects, such as the one on Morrison Road. We have completed the Denny
Avenue project and the Mandurah train station. Of course, we also have the
Bellevue rail car manufacturing facility. The good thing is that it is all in
the budget; all the information is in the budget. The latest shadow minister
for Metronet—I think he is a member for North Metropolitan Region in
the upper house—is out there claiming that he does not know where all the numbers are, that he does not know what
the cost of Metronet is and that he does not know what the operating cost of Metronet is. I tell you what; it is called the state budget, members.
When members open the budget papers, they
can find the information. Again, now that we no longer have a federal Morrison
government, the state opposition is ready to walk away from Metronet.
That is what the state Liberal Party wants to do—it wants to walk away
from Metronet, which is saying that people in the suburbs do not deserve
world-class public transport.
We heard about the secret Liberal Party meeting at the WA
Italian Club recently, did we not? As members know, I go to the Italian Club a bit.
I was there recently, and I thought, ''I'm going to try to find
out where they held the secret Liberal Party meeting.'' I went to the
ballroom, which holds 500 people, but, no, there was no sign of them there. I went
to the restaurant, which holds a couple of hundred people, to see whether that
is where they had the Liberal Party meeting, but, no, it was a bit too big. I went
down to the bar, which holds a couple of hundred people, to see whether that is
where they held their Liberal Party meeting but, no, that was a bit too much. I
found a little card room where my father used to play cards, which had a couple
of tables and an espresso machine, and I realised that that is where they held
the Liberal Party meeting. Fortunately, on the whiteboard that was still there,
were the three key strategies of how to win the next election. The first was to
not mention ''The Clan'': ''Whatever you do, don't mention ''The Clan''.
The second strategy was ''Keep committing to the Perth Freight Link. ''Honk
for Roe 8 '' days have to come back.'' The third was, ''Who's
got Justin Langer's phone number?''
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
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