❓ Mr. Day questions the Minister about replacing AusLink funding after refusing to sign the agreement. The Minister defends the decision, citing WA's unfair share and stating an agreement will be reached, safeguarding most funding.
AnsweredQoN 564Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the minister’s refusal to sign the AusLink road transport agreement with the federal government, and her statement in this house last week that she would hold out until a federal Labor government is elected. (1) How will the government replace the $96.4 million that Western Australia is due to receive under the AusLink agreement this year and the balance of approximately $500 million over the remainder of the agreement? (2) How can the government possibly justify putting at risk substantial funding for major projects, including $17.3 million for various projects to upgrade Great Eastern Highway between Sawyers Valley and Walgoolan; $15 million to continue upgrading Great Northern Highway, including road widening and passing lanes between Muchea and Wubin; $5.4 million to replace old and flood-prone bridges on Great Northern Highway in the Kimberley; and $31.7 million to maintain the road network? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
(1) How will the government replace the $96.4 million that Western Australia is due to receive under the AusLink agreement this year and the balance of approximately $500 million over the remainder of the agreement? (2) How can the government possibly justify putting at risk substantial funding for major projects, including $17.3 million for various projects to upgrade Great Eastern Highway between Sawyers Valley and Walgoolan; $15 million to continue upgrading Great Northern Highway, including road widening and passing lanes between Muchea and Wubin; $5.4 million to replace old and flood-prone bridges on Great Northern Highway in the Kimberley; and $31.7 million to maintain the road network? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
(2) How can the government possibly justify putting at risk substantial funding for major projects, including $17.3 million for various projects to upgrade Great Eastern Highway between Sawyers Valley and Walgoolan; $15 million to continue upgrading Great Northern Highway, including road widening and passing lanes between Muchea and Wubin; $5.4 million to replace old and flood-prone bridges on Great Northern Highway in the Kimberley; and $31.7 million to maintain the road network? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
(1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
(1) How will the government replace the $96.4 million that Western Australia is due to receive under the AusLink agreement this year and the balance of approximately $500 million over the remainder of the agreement? (2) How can the government possibly justify putting at risk substantial funding for major projects, including $17.3 million for various projects to upgrade Great Eastern Highway between Sawyers Valley and Walgoolan; $15 million to continue upgrading Great Northern Highway, including road widening and passing lanes between Muchea and Wubin; $5.4 million to replace old and flood-prone bridges on Great Northern Highway in the Kimberley; and $31.7 million to maintain the road network? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
(2) How can the government possibly justify putting at risk substantial funding for major projects, including $17.3 million for various projects to upgrade Great Eastern Highway between Sawyers Valley and Walgoolan; $15 million to continue upgrading Great Northern Highway, including road widening and passing lanes between Muchea and Wubin; $5.4 million to replace old and flood-prone bridges on Great Northern Highway in the Kimberley; and $31.7 million to maintain the road network? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
(1)-(2) A long-awaited question from the opposition spokesperson on transport! At last a question; the mighty mouse roars! It is timely, because it is a great opportunity for us to provide an update on our campaign for a fair share, a campaign which is not being joined in by the other side. When the Liberal Party was in government it spent an enormous amount of money agitating against the federal government, particularly when there was a Labor federal government, but it has now become the poodle and lap-dog of the federal government. Its cry is, “Johnny, how low can you go?” We are continuing our campaign for a fair share of federal funding. As members know, for capital works projects under AusLink we get 5.8 per cent of the national share and 7.4 per cent of new road funding. Members know all the figures: Western Australia covers a third of the continent etc - Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
Mr J.H.D. Day interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The member for Darling Range has told us all, but he has not understood it yet, because if he understood it he would be fighting for Western Australia, but he is not. We will be continuing that campaign, but I can tell the house that this morning I had a discussion with the federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services. It has been agreed that we will be disagreeing on this point, but the AusLink agreement will be constructed in such a way that will make that clear, as happens with AusLink agreements in Victoria where they have a disagreement on the Scoresby Freeway. So, we will not be signing off on their contribution to the Peel deviation but will be continuing our campaign to fight against it, but the rest of the agreement will be signed and will be under way. Therefore, all those concerns of the member for Darling Range are ill-founded.
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.