❓ Mrs. Clarke asks about the progress of the new locally built Australind railcar and interim measures for passengers. The Minister responds by highlighting the government's investment in the Australind and criticizes the previous government's lack of action.
AnsweredQoN 23Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIND SERVICE
23. Mrs R.M.J. CLARKE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's decision to bring railcar manufacturing back to Western Australia,
which will not only create new local jobs, but also deliver a new Australind railcar set.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the work
underway to deliver a new locally built Australind and what will
it mean for the people of the south west?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what interim measures this government is putting in
place for those passengers who rely on this
service but were neglected by the Barnett–Harvey Liberal–National
government and its failure to invest in the Australind ?
23. Mrs R.M.J. CLARKE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's decision to bring railcar manufacturing back to Western Australia,
which will not only create new local jobs, but also deliver a new Australind railcar set.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the work
underway to deliver a new locally built Australind and what will
it mean for the people of the south west?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what interim measures this government is putting in
place for those passengers who rely on this
service but were neglected by the Barnett–Harvey Liberal–National
government and its failure to invest in the Australind ?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Murray–Wellington for that question and for her
passion for the south west and her electorate. The Australind is now
over 30 years old. One would think that the opposition, who had eight and a half
years in government and spent over $8 billion of royalties for regions funds,
could have allocated some funds to replace the Australind . Did it do
that? No. In fact, 30 years ago the Australind promotional material
read: ''The new Australind. The train that thinks it's a plane.''
The previous government did not do anything about it for eight and a half
years. I am very proud to announce that as part of our local manufacturing
strategy for railcars we are building two three-car sets—the new Australind .
That will basically double the capacity of the existing Australind . This
is a huge initiative for everyone in the south west and everyone is very
excited. In the interim, we will continue to run the Australind . We will
also run some new services from Bunbury to Mandurah and draw up some policies
to deal with any significant delays with the new train. It is an interim
measure to make sure that we can get on with building those new railcars and
deliver to the south west. Of course, we are also upgrading the stations. I was
very fortunate to be in the south west with the Premier and the south west
members a number of weeks ago, looking at
our upgrades to North Dandalup station. Of course, Yarloop was opened last year as well, as was the Cookernup station. I do not know why the
opposition ignored Cookernup for so long, but Labor is delivering for Cookernup
a new postcode, a new road sign and a new station—the trifecta for
Cookernup!
A member : What did Murray do?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am not sure
what Murray did. But as part of that, I want to especially recognise Shannon,
who is one of the most frequent users of the Australind at Cookernup. We
have now named the station. We have a little sign saying, ''Shannon's
shelter'', because she is one of the most frequent supporters of the Australind ,
and I want to recognise her today. Of course, we are big supporters of rail in
the metropolitan area and in regional WA. The Australind commitment is
just one of those commitments that we have introduced. We overturned the
previous government's decision to close the AvonLink . Does
everyone remember that?
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, you will be running home early. I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : In 2016, Western
Australia's transport minister put himself on a collision course in
wanting to close the AvonLink . When we came to government, there were
plans to close it. We decided to change that decision because despite what the
Nationals WA believe, it let down the bush again and again when it came to
transport in regional WA. Our decision to save the —
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
National Party, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There was no
investment in the Australind and they wanted to shut down the AvonLink .
We overturned that decision, and we will continue to support rail in regional
WA.
thank the member for Murray–Wellington for that question and for her
passion for the south west and her electorate. The Australind is now
over 30 years old. One would think that the opposition, who had eight and a half
years in government and spent over $8 billion of royalties for regions funds,
could have allocated some funds to replace the Australind . Did it do
that? No. In fact, 30 years ago the Australind promotional material
read: ''The new Australind. The train that thinks it's a plane.''
The previous government did not do anything about it for eight and a half
years. I am very proud to announce that as part of our local manufacturing
strategy for railcars we are building two three-car sets—the new Australind .
That will basically double the capacity of the existing Australind . This
is a huge initiative for everyone in the south west and everyone is very
excited. In the interim, we will continue to run the Australind . We will
also run some new services from Bunbury to Mandurah and draw up some policies
to deal with any significant delays with the new train. It is an interim
measure to make sure that we can get on with building those new railcars and
deliver to the south west. Of course, we are also upgrading the stations. I was
very fortunate to be in the south west with the Premier and the south west
members a number of weeks ago, looking at
our upgrades to North Dandalup station. Of course, Yarloop was opened last year as well, as was the Cookernup station. I do not know why the
opposition ignored Cookernup for so long, but Labor is delivering for Cookernup
a new postcode, a new road sign and a new station—the trifecta for
Cookernup!
A member : What did Murray do?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I am not sure
what Murray did. But as part of that, I want to especially recognise Shannon,
who is one of the most frequent users of the Australind at Cookernup. We
have now named the station. We have a little sign saying, ''Shannon's
shelter'', because she is one of the most frequent supporters of the Australind ,
and I want to recognise her today. Of course, we are big supporters of rail in
the metropolitan area and in regional WA. The Australind commitment is
just one of those commitments that we have introduced. We overturned the
previous government's decision to close the AvonLink . Does
everyone remember that?
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, you will be running home early. I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : In 2016, Western
Australia's transport minister put himself on a collision course in
wanting to close the AvonLink . When we came to government, there were
plans to close it. We decided to change that decision because despite what the
Nationals WA believe, it let down the bush again and again when it came to
transport in regional WA. Our decision to save the —
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
National Party, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There was no
investment in the Australind and they wanted to shut down the AvonLink .
We overturned that decision, and we will continue to support rail in regional
WA.
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