❓ Mr. Morton asks for an update on the Forrestfield-Airport Link project. Mr. Nalder provides a detailed update, highlighting progress, budget adherence, job creation, and criticizes the previous Labor government's neglect of the eastern suburbs.
AnsweredQoN 20Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FORRESTFIELD–AIRPORT LINK
20. MR N.W. MORTON to the Minister for
Transport:
Can
the minister please provide an update on the transformational Forrestfield–Airport
Link project as many people in my electorate are excited about the preliminary
works they are seeing at the Forrestfield station site?
20. MR N.W. MORTON to the Minister for
Transport:
Can
the minister please provide an update on the transformational Forrestfield–Airport
Link project as many people in my electorate are excited about the preliminary
works they are seeing at the Forrestfield station site?
AnswerView source ↗
I will gladly update the house
towards the delivery of the government's $2 billion Forrestfield–Airport
Link. I remind members that this is a seriously transformational project for
Western Australia. This is the Liberal–National government delivering
the first of Perth's underground.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
D.C. NALDER : We are not talking about it; we are delivering the Perth
underground. Let me also remind the house that when I announced that I was to
pursue the investigation of a tunnel all the way from Bayswater through to
Forrestfield, I was ridiculed in this house! A Curtin University academic said
that it was a joke and would cost 10 times the budget. We are retaining the
budget of our commitment, which was all above-ground. I am very comfortable as
we are developing a track record, right across Western Australia, of delivering
infrastructure projects ahead of time and under budget. I am very confident
about this.
Several members interjected.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : Member for Mandurah, all I can hear is squawking.
I would like to remind members that
this investment is in the eastern suburbs, which was long neglected by the
former Labor government. It talks about innovation and practices, and
infrastructure. Why did it implement Transperth gas buses across Perth, but
they could not be delivered to the eastern suburbs? What happened? They
retained the old Renault buses out there for 25 years. The eastern suburbs have
long been neglected. We are getting on and delivering a project. We will cut
travel times from the eastern suburbs into the CBD down from 50 minutes to 20
minutes. We will provide a saving of 30 minutes for the people in the eastern
suburbs. Important milestones have been
achieved.
Mr J.E. McGrath interjected.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Thank you, member for South Perth. In the
last year we have passed the Railway (Forrestfield–Airport Link) Bill
2015.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.C. NALDER : All the geotechnical groundworks have been
completed. Ten public community information sessions have been held. Three
consortia have been shortlisted to prepare a proposal to deliver the project
and I will announce very soon the final proponents for the Forrestfield–Airport
Link. The forward site works for service relocations have commenced. Members
will see activity already out at the Forrestfield area because site works have
commenced for the relocation of services, state environmental approval has been
granted, the plan for Perth Airport has been approved, an Aboriginal business
briefing was held and land acquisitions are in progress. At its peak, we expect
around 800 employees to be working on this project and an estimated 2 000 jobs
to be created over its life. We have heard all these questions about delivering
infrastructure. We are not just talking about it; we are getting on and
delivering it and I look forward to providing further updates to this house.
towards the delivery of the government's $2 billion Forrestfield–Airport
Link. I remind members that this is a seriously transformational project for
Western Australia. This is the Liberal–National government delivering
the first of Perth's underground.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
D.C. NALDER : We are not talking about it; we are delivering the Perth
underground. Let me also remind the house that when I announced that I was to
pursue the investigation of a tunnel all the way from Bayswater through to
Forrestfield, I was ridiculed in this house! A Curtin University academic said
that it was a joke and would cost 10 times the budget. We are retaining the
budget of our commitment, which was all above-ground. I am very comfortable as
we are developing a track record, right across Western Australia, of delivering
infrastructure projects ahead of time and under budget. I am very confident
about this.
Several members interjected.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : Member for Mandurah, all I can hear is squawking.
I would like to remind members that
this investment is in the eastern suburbs, which was long neglected by the
former Labor government. It talks about innovation and practices, and
infrastructure. Why did it implement Transperth gas buses across Perth, but
they could not be delivered to the eastern suburbs? What happened? They
retained the old Renault buses out there for 25 years. The eastern suburbs have
long been neglected. We are getting on and delivering a project. We will cut
travel times from the eastern suburbs into the CBD down from 50 minutes to 20
minutes. We will provide a saving of 30 minutes for the people in the eastern
suburbs. Important milestones have been
achieved.
Mr J.E. McGrath interjected.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Thank you, member for South Perth. In the
last year we have passed the Railway (Forrestfield–Airport Link) Bill
2015.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.C. NALDER : All the geotechnical groundworks have been
completed. Ten public community information sessions have been held. Three
consortia have been shortlisted to prepare a proposal to deliver the project
and I will announce very soon the final proponents for the Forrestfield–Airport
Link. The forward site works for service relocations have commenced. Members
will see activity already out at the Forrestfield area because site works have
commenced for the relocation of services, state environmental approval has been
granted, the plan for Perth Airport has been approved, an Aboriginal business
briefing was held and land acquisitions are in progress. At its peak, we expect
around 800 employees to be working on this project and an estimated 2 000 jobs
to be created over its life. We have heard all these questions about delivering
infrastructure. We are not just talking about it; we are getting on and
delivering it and I look forward to providing further updates to this house.
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