❓ The Minister for Regional Development outlines the Cook Labor government's plans to partner with the City of Busselton to develop a business case for the future development of the Busselton Margaret River Airport, citing strong passenger growth and economic development policies.
AnsweredQoN 576Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BUSSELTON MARGARET RIVER AIRPORT
576. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
$11.2 billion infrastructure investment program.
(1) Can the minister update the
house on the long-term plans at the Busselton Margaret River Airport?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house why it is important that any investment in
infrastructure is based on proper planning considerations?
576. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
$11.2 billion infrastructure investment program.
(1) Can the minister update the
house on the long-term plans at the Busselton Margaret River Airport?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house why it is important that any investment in
infrastructure is based on proper planning considerations?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question, and I am delighted to have a question about
regional development in this place. I do not often get asked them for some
reason. I thank the member for the question, and I am very pleased to inform
the house that the Cook Labor government will be partnering with the City of
Busselton to develop a business case for the future development of the
Busselton Margaret River Airport.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : I am sure the
member will be very interested in this.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members! If we want to be able to conclude an MPI motion today, we will really
need to progress with question time. Otherwise, we will not even get to a vote.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : The $250 000
business case includes funding contributions from the City of Busselton and other south west local governments that see the
value of a business case. It builds on the collaboration that was built some years ago and that I was very pleased to be a part of.
I have agreed to make this
contribution on behalf of the government. We are planning for the long-term
future of the airport's infrastructure needs because the policies of
the Cook government have resulted in strong passenger growth and potential for
additional services.
Those policies, members, are very
responsible financial management. What did we inherit when we came to government in 2017? We have developed policies to
promote the economic development of regional Western Australia and Western
Australia, so we are in a great position to look at investments right around
the state. It was our government, through
Hon Alannah MacTiernan, that helped secure direct flights between Busselton and
Melbourne and lock in those new opportunities for investment. The member
was full of energy, and it has given south west residents far more flexible
options.
The Jetstar service commenced in
April 2022, and it has been very successful. The success of that service so far
has given us the confidence to proceed with planning for the next stage of the
airport's future. Planning will consider
factors such as passenger and tourism growth, existing infrastructure, economic
impacts and opportunities , and sustainability and funding strategies.
The South West Development Commission will continue to be involved in the
project, chairing the working group that is made up of the City of Busselton
and key stakeholders, and pursuing the direction of the development of the
business case. That is on top of the interim arrangements we made last year to
help debottleneck some aspects of the airport.
I know that members on this side
will absolutely welcome this work, but I choked, members, a few weeks ago when
I was drinking my morning coffee at home and I read the Bunbury Herald . What
did I see? I saw —
Mettam slams new business case for
airport
The article reports that she said the delay in acting on the
airport was a ''stalling tactic''. The plan was developed in 2015 and, basically, we should be getting on
with it. What has happened since 2015, members? Let me think. The previous government managed to trash the state's finances—that
is what we inherited. We had to go into budget repair and take major steps to
address the problems that we inherited.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr D.T. PUNCH : The member who
is commenting in the background was a member of that government.
What else did we have to do? We had
to deal with COVID, and we have gone through COVID. What have we got today? We
have totally changed conditions; we have an economy that is the envy of the
nation, if not the envy of many people overseas. That is why people want to
come to WA, why they want to invest in WA and why the Busselton airport is so
important. That is why regional WA is benefiting from $11.2 billion of
investment.
When we have a member who does not
understand the importance of looking at contemporary issues to make decisions,
I need to go back to the definition of a business case that the federal
Department of Finance has put out. I think
the Minister for Health has been down this pathway once before, but it bears
repeating. The definition states —
A business case sets out the problem
or opportunity, considers options, analyses costs, benefits and risks, and
ultimately supports an investment decision.
That is what the City of Busselton
wants. It does not want to put risk onto its ratepayers. It wants to know the
contemporary circumstances. If the member wants me to withdraw the business
case and leave the city to make a decision, she should tell me. Does the member
want the airport built, and does the member want it built on sound principles?
That is the issue.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please. I
am going to give the call to the member for North West Central for the last question. Members need to keep in mind that
private members' business starts at four o'clock sharp. If we
eat further into the time, it will mean that either you will need to
curtail the MPI or the MPI will not come to a vote until possibly tomorrow.
thank the member for the question, and I am delighted to have a question about
regional development in this place. I do not often get asked them for some
reason. I thank the member for the question, and I am very pleased to inform
the house that the Cook Labor government will be partnering with the City of
Busselton to develop a business case for the future development of the
Busselton Margaret River Airport.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : I am sure the
member will be very interested in this.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members! If we want to be able to conclude an MPI motion today, we will really
need to progress with question time. Otherwise, we will not even get to a vote.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : The $250 000
business case includes funding contributions from the City of Busselton and other south west local governments that see the
value of a business case. It builds on the collaboration that was built some years ago and that I was very pleased to be a part of.
I have agreed to make this
contribution on behalf of the government. We are planning for the long-term
future of the airport's infrastructure needs because the policies of
the Cook government have resulted in strong passenger growth and potential for
additional services.
Those policies, members, are very
responsible financial management. What did we inherit when we came to government in 2017? We have developed policies to
promote the economic development of regional Western Australia and Western
Australia, so we are in a great position to look at investments right around
the state. It was our government, through
Hon Alannah MacTiernan, that helped secure direct flights between Busselton and
Melbourne and lock in those new opportunities for investment. The member
was full of energy, and it has given south west residents far more flexible
options.
The Jetstar service commenced in
April 2022, and it has been very successful. The success of that service so far
has given us the confidence to proceed with planning for the next stage of the
airport's future. Planning will consider
factors such as passenger and tourism growth, existing infrastructure, economic
impacts and opportunities , and sustainability and funding strategies.
The South West Development Commission will continue to be involved in the
project, chairing the working group that is made up of the City of Busselton
and key stakeholders, and pursuing the direction of the development of the
business case. That is on top of the interim arrangements we made last year to
help debottleneck some aspects of the airport.
I know that members on this side
will absolutely welcome this work, but I choked, members, a few weeks ago when
I was drinking my morning coffee at home and I read the Bunbury Herald . What
did I see? I saw —
Mettam slams new business case for
airport
The article reports that she said the delay in acting on the
airport was a ''stalling tactic''. The plan was developed in 2015 and, basically, we should be getting on
with it. What has happened since 2015, members? Let me think. The previous government managed to trash the state's finances—that
is what we inherited. We had to go into budget repair and take major steps to
address the problems that we inherited.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr D.T. PUNCH : The member who
is commenting in the background was a member of that government.
What else did we have to do? We had
to deal with COVID, and we have gone through COVID. What have we got today? We
have totally changed conditions; we have an economy that is the envy of the
nation, if not the envy of many people overseas. That is why people want to
come to WA, why they want to invest in WA and why the Busselton airport is so
important. That is why regional WA is benefiting from $11.2 billion of
investment.
When we have a member who does not
understand the importance of looking at contemporary issues to make decisions,
I need to go back to the definition of a business case that the federal
Department of Finance has put out. I think
the Minister for Health has been down this pathway once before, but it bears
repeating. The definition states —
A business case sets out the problem
or opportunity, considers options, analyses costs, benefits and risks, and
ultimately supports an investment decision.
That is what the City of Busselton
wants. It does not want to put risk onto its ratepayers. It wants to know the
contemporary circumstances. If the member wants me to withdraw the business
case and leave the city to make a decision, she should tell me. Does the member
want the airport built, and does the member want it built on sound principles?
That is the issue.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please. I
am going to give the call to the member for North West Central for the last question. Members need to keep in mind that
private members' business starts at four o'clock sharp. If we
eat further into the time, it will mean that either you will need to
curtail the MPI or the MPI will not come to a vote until possibly tomorrow.
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