❓ A member of parliament questions the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure about alleged cuts to bus services in the southern suburbs, suggesting it's a political move to support a rail link. The Minister denies the cuts, stating the government has increased funding for public transport and is constantly reviewing services for best value.
AnsweredQoN 236Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to her department’s instruction to Southern Coast Transit - the contracted southern suburbs bus service provider - to reduce service kilometres, and, in doing so, slash services to the southern suburbs. (1) Is the minister aware of this instruction, which has resulted in the deletion of some night services and weekend routes? (2) On what basis was the instruction given? (3) Was the instruction merely an attempt to bolster support for the minister’s ill-fated southern rail link - a decision that would reduce a successful bus service for political reasons? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(1) Is the minister aware of this instruction, which has resulted in the deletion of some night services and weekend routes? (2) On what basis was the instruction given? (3) Was the instruction merely an attempt to bolster support for the minister’s ill-fated southern rail link - a decision that would reduce a successful bus service for political reasons? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(2) On what basis was the instruction given? (3) Was the instruction merely an attempt to bolster support for the minister’s ill-fated southern rail link - a decision that would reduce a successful bus service for political reasons? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(3) Was the instruction merely an attempt to bolster support for the minister’s ill-fated southern rail link - a decision that would reduce a successful bus service for political reasons? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(1) Is the minister aware of this instruction, which has resulted in the deletion of some night services and weekend routes? (2) On what basis was the instruction given? (3) Was the instruction merely an attempt to bolster support for the minister’s ill-fated southern rail link - a decision that would reduce a successful bus service for political reasons? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(2) On what basis was the instruction given? (3) Was the instruction merely an attempt to bolster support for the minister’s ill-fated southern rail link - a decision that would reduce a successful bus service for political reasons? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(3) Was the instruction merely an attempt to bolster support for the minister’s ill-fated southern rail link - a decision that would reduce a successful bus service for political reasons? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
(1)-(3) It is evident that the question is ill-conceived, because the member for Murdoch initially alleged that I issued the direction and then asked whether I was aware of the direction. The reality is that the Government has spent another $8 million on the provision of public bus services. Indeed, the budget for public transport services has been approximately $19 million more than was projected in the forward estimates of the previous Government. Far from cutting back services, this Government is extending them. Mr Speaker, as you would understand, circumstances change, and the Government is constantly reviewing bus services and working to ensure that it receives the best outcome for taxpayers money. From time to time, the configuration of services changes and the Government does not resile from that fact. In fact, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that it gets the best value for taxpayers’ money in this important area of public transport.
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