A member of parliament questions the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure regarding the timing of a decision to re-route the Southern suburbs railway and potential inconsistencies in communication with the Southern Gazette newspaper. The Minister's response defends the timing of the decision.

AnsweredQoN 819Legislative Assembly
Asked
9 August 2001
Portfolio
Planning and Infrastructure

QuestionView source ↗

(1) I refer to the Government’s decision on 16 July to endorse a proposal to re-route the Southern suburbs railway through South Perth-Como and Mt Henry and ask why did the Minister personally telephone the
Southern Gazette
newspaper in South Perth on Thursday 12 July or Friday 13 July to claim that she hoped to make a decision in the next couple of weeks?
(2) In these circumstances, how was the Minister able to prepare Cabinet documents and circulate them in sufficient time for the matter to be resolved within the next two working days by 16 July?
(3) Does the Minister acknowledge that either the information given to the newspaper was not truthful, or that the date for Cabinet consideration was brought forward in a rush for 16 July?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
7 November 2001
Responded by
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
90 days
(2) and (3) The timing of the decision did not conflict with my statement to the Southern Gazette. The exact timing of the decision could not be confirmed until Cabinet met as it is not possible to pre-empt Cabinet decisions.

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