❓ Ms. Shaw asks about the importance of the Morley-Ellenbrook rail line legislation and potential threats. Minister Saffioti highlights the project's benefits, criticizes the opposition's stance, and emphasizes the government's commitment.
AnsweredQoN 852Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELLENBROOK RAIL LINE
852. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the historic legislation
introduced today that will enshrine in law the Morley–Ellenbrook rail
line and clear the way for this job-creating project to get underway. Can the
minister outline to the house why this legislation is so important for the
people of my electorate and right across the north-eastern suburbs, and can the
minister advise the house if she is aware of any threats to this important
economy-driving project?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! The
minister has not said a word yet and you are still interjecting.
852. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the historic legislation
introduced today that will enshrine in law the Morley–Ellenbrook rail
line and clear the way for this job-creating project to get underway. Can the
minister outline to the house why this legislation is so important for the
people of my electorate and right across the north-eastern suburbs, and can the
minister advise the house if she is aware of any threats to this important
economy-driving project?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! The
minister has not said a word yet and you are still interjecting.
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Swan Hills
for that question and her strong support for the Ellenbrook rail line project.
Today is indeed a proud day for the McGowan government as the legislation to
facilitate the Ellenbrook rail line had its second reading. We introduced the
Railway (METRONET) Amendment Bill 2019 to authorise the construction of the
Morley–Ellenbrook line. Once approved, the Morley–Ellenbrook
line will be the third railway line covered by the Railway (METRONET) Act 2018.
As members know, we have already passed the legislation to facilitate the
Yanchep rail line and the Thornlie–Cockburn Link.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Of course,
member for Butler. The Liberal Party did not support that project either. It
was a major election commitment that we gave at the election.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! This is
good news.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is good
news for Western Australia but not for Liberal Party members; that is the
problem. The Ellenbrook line is a 21-kilometre line that will spur off the
Midland line at Bayswater, run down the middle of Tonkin Highway, through land
north of Marshall Road, and along the new Lord Street alignment through to the
Ellenbrook town centre. We know that the Ellenbrook town centre has been
waiting for this rail line for many years. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to
attend two new housing developments: one in Bennett Springs with the Minister
for Housing; and one in Ellenbrook with the member for Swan Hills and the
Minister for Housing. The feedback we got
from the development industry was about the excitement now along the north-east
corridor because the rail line is coming under a Labor government. They
are seeing a lot more excitement and activity because of the infrastructure —
Mr D.C. Nalder: It's
all in your seat.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What was
that?
Mr D.C. Nalder : I'm
not allowed to speak.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What did you
say?
The SPEAKER : Minister!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Bateman was so proud of his record in the seat before the last election
that he gave it away to somebody else! At least we stick to our commitments on
our side of politics, member for Bateman. We will not need to change seats
because we are delivering —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I do not mind you interjecting, but say something sensible. I call you
to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Vasse is out there opposing the project and in one sense has said that we
are not going fast enough, and in the other sense has said, ''We oppose
the project''. Where does the member for Vasse stand on it? Does she
support the project? The member for Darling Range has had to quieten down the
member for Vasse. Does she support the project: yes or no?
The SPEAKER : Minister,
through the Chair.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : The member for Vasse
is very good on Twitter and on being negative—everywhere getting out
there; this rail line is so bad. She has aligned herself with council
candidates who have opposed this project every day for the last 10 years. That is who she has
aligned herself with and everyone in that corridor knows it, member for Vasse.
This is indeed a proud day for WA.
We are getting on with the job of creating the Ellenbrook rail line, creating
certainty for the corridor and getting excitement back to the development
industry in that corridor. It is good news and it is a day that we can all be
proud of, members.
for that question and her strong support for the Ellenbrook rail line project.
Today is indeed a proud day for the McGowan government as the legislation to
facilitate the Ellenbrook rail line had its second reading. We introduced the
Railway (METRONET) Amendment Bill 2019 to authorise the construction of the
Morley–Ellenbrook line. Once approved, the Morley–Ellenbrook
line will be the third railway line covered by the Railway (METRONET) Act 2018.
As members know, we have already passed the legislation to facilitate the
Yanchep rail line and the Thornlie–Cockburn Link.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Of course,
member for Butler. The Liberal Party did not support that project either. It
was a major election commitment that we gave at the election.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! This is
good news.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is good
news for Western Australia but not for Liberal Party members; that is the
problem. The Ellenbrook line is a 21-kilometre line that will spur off the
Midland line at Bayswater, run down the middle of Tonkin Highway, through land
north of Marshall Road, and along the new Lord Street alignment through to the
Ellenbrook town centre. We know that the Ellenbrook town centre has been
waiting for this rail line for many years. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to
attend two new housing developments: one in Bennett Springs with the Minister
for Housing; and one in Ellenbrook with the member for Swan Hills and the
Minister for Housing. The feedback we got
from the development industry was about the excitement now along the north-east
corridor because the rail line is coming under a Labor government. They
are seeing a lot more excitement and activity because of the infrastructure —
Mr D.C. Nalder: It's
all in your seat.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What was
that?
Mr D.C. Nalder : I'm
not allowed to speak.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : What did you
say?
The SPEAKER : Minister!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Bateman was so proud of his record in the seat before the last election
that he gave it away to somebody else! At least we stick to our commitments on
our side of politics, member for Bateman. We will not need to change seats
because we are delivering —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I do not mind you interjecting, but say something sensible. I call you
to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for Vasse is out there opposing the project and in one sense has said that we
are not going fast enough, and in the other sense has said, ''We oppose
the project''. Where does the member for Vasse stand on it? Does she
support the project? The member for Darling Range has had to quieten down the
member for Vasse. Does she support the project: yes or no?
The SPEAKER : Minister,
through the Chair.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : The member for Vasse
is very good on Twitter and on being negative—everywhere getting out
there; this rail line is so bad. She has aligned herself with council
candidates who have opposed this project every day for the last 10 years. That is who she has
aligned herself with and everyone in that corridor knows it, member for Vasse.
This is indeed a proud day for WA.
We are getting on with the job of creating the Ellenbrook rail line, creating
certainty for the corridor and getting excitement back to the development
industry in that corridor. It is good news and it is a day that we can all be
proud of, members.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.