Mr. Murray questions the Minister for Transport regarding road funding and seeks confirmation that road projects are unlikely to proceed if Commonwealth funding is withdrawn. The Minister confirms this and adds a somewhat facetious commitment to highlight the road conditions if funding is cut.

AnsweredQoN 553Legislative Assembly
Asked
24 September 2013
Portfolio
Transport

QuestionView source ↗

STATE
BUDGET 2013–14 — ROAD FUNDING
553. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the Minister for Transport:
I have a supplementary question.
Having said that, does the minister stand by his comments and make it very
clear for Hansard that if the
commonwealth withdraws its funding, it is highly unlikely that these roads will
go ahead; or is it just going to be another broken promise?

AnswerView source ↗

I just said —
Mr M.P. Murray : I
heard you! I just want you to confirm it.
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : I said it about a second ago!
Mr M.P. Murray :
But we can't believe what you say once; you've got to say it
three or four times.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
The good news for the member for Collie–Preston is that the $50 million-plus
to upgrade the Collie coalfields highway is happening. A big chunk of it is
being spent —
Mr M.P. Murray : I'm
not asking about that.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : A
big chunk of it will be spent. That is the road to the member's home
town that he has never asked a question on in Parliament in eight years, just
for his information.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member
for Collie–Preston!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
It is a very simple equation: if the commonwealth does not provide that
funding, it is highly unlikely that those road projects will go ahead. If the
commonwealth does not —
Mr M.P. Murray :
Sit down—you've answered the question.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
If the commonwealth does not provide the funding —
Mr M.P. Murray :
No, no! I don't want anymore.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, unfortunately, you are not in
charge of proceedings here. Minister, have you finished?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
was nearly finished, Mr Speaker, but I was interrupted by the member for Collie–Preston.
I was just going to say that if the commonwealth does not provide that funding,
I will write to every Western Australian federal member of Parliament and
arrange a bus to drive them from Perth to Port Hedland and from Port Hedland to
Perth via Great Northern Highway and North West Coastal Highway.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
will give members a tip. There will be a raffle —
Several members interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
One of the good things is that I have a bus driver's licence —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time. Member for Victoria
Park, I call you to order for the first time. Have you finished, Minister?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
The member for West Swan can come; it will really add spice to the road trip!
But we are going to go up and come back and I am going to make them sit at the front
of the bus!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : It is all right; the member can sit down the back. That
section of road desperately needs to be upgraded.

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