Shadow Minister for Transport, Mr Ripper, questions Premier Barnett about the cancellation of the Ellenbrook rail line feasibility study and whether this breaks a promise to commence construction in 2010-11. The Premier denies making such a commitment, stating it was a second-term project.

AnsweredQoN 324Legislative Assembly
Asked
9 April 2009
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

ELLENBROOK RAIL LINE
I ask by way of supplementary question why the Premier has cancelled the feasibility study. Does this mean that the Premier is breaking his promise to commence construction in 2010-11? Mr C.J. BARNETT

AnswerView source ↗

We did not commit to construct the line by 2010-11. We said that the Ellenbrook line would be a project for the second term of government, if we had a second term of government. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the midyear review you said you would be starting it in 2010-11. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members for Warnbro and Cockburn. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: We did not commit to construct the line by 2010-11. We said that the Ellenbrook line would be a project for the second term of government, if we had a second term of government. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the midyear review you said you would be starting it in 2010-11. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members for Warnbro and Cockburn. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
We did not commit to construct the line by 2010-11. We said that the Ellenbrook line would be a project for the second term of government, if we had a second term of government. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the midyear review you said you would be starting it in 2010-11. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members for Warnbro and Cockburn. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
Mr E.S. Ripper : In the midyear review you said you would be starting it in 2010-11. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members for Warnbro and Cockburn. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members for Warnbro and Cockburn. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members for Warnbro and Cockburn. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
The SPEAKER : Order, members for Warnbro and Cockburn. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I say what I mean, member for Kwinana. What I said in the election campaign was that the Ellenbrook line was logically the next major extension of our rail system, that it was a second-term project and that we would allocate some expenditure towards it—but it is a second term project. In the meantime we will fund what the previous government failed to fund—that is, an extension of the northern suburbs line to Brighton.

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