❓ Opposition questions the Premier about a deal with the Greens (WA) regarding a rail station, alleging lack of scrutiny and comparing it to the WA Inc scandal. The Premier defends the project, accusing the opposition of obstruction and lacking vision.
AnsweredQoN 305Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the Premier to the Labor Government’s last minute, backroom deal struck with the Greens (WA) in the Legislative Council last week to bring forward the construction of a $10 million rail station at South Perth in a deliberate attempt to avoid the southern rail link legislation from being referred to a committee for scrutiny. (1) Will the Premier concede that his description of this deal in the House last Thursday as “politics” is no way in which to conduct transport planning and expenditure of large amounts of taxpayers’ funds in this State? (2) Will the Premier acknowledge that a deliberate lack of parliamentary scrutiny, similar to that which is occurring on this project, was one of the major reasons for the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars on the Petrochemical Industries Co Ltd - PICL - project during the height of the WA Inc scandal in the late 1980s? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
(1) Will the Premier concede that his description of this deal in the House last Thursday as “politics” is no way in which to conduct transport planning and expenditure of large amounts of taxpayers’ funds in this State? (2) Will the Premier acknowledge that a deliberate lack of parliamentary scrutiny, similar to that which is occurring on this project, was one of the major reasons for the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars on the Petrochemical Industries Co Ltd - PICL - project during the height of the WA Inc scandal in the late 1980s? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
(2) Will the Premier acknowledge that a deliberate lack of parliamentary scrutiny, similar to that which is occurring on this project, was one of the major reasons for the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars on the Petrochemical Industries Co Ltd - PICL - project during the height of the WA Inc scandal in the late 1980s? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
(1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
(1) Will the Premier concede that his description of this deal in the House last Thursday as “politics” is no way in which to conduct transport planning and expenditure of large amounts of taxpayers’ funds in this State? (2) Will the Premier acknowledge that a deliberate lack of parliamentary scrutiny, similar to that which is occurring on this project, was one of the major reasons for the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars on the Petrochemical Industries Co Ltd - PICL - project during the height of the WA Inc scandal in the late 1980s? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
(2) Will the Premier acknowledge that a deliberate lack of parliamentary scrutiny, similar to that which is occurring on this project, was one of the major reasons for the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars on the Petrochemical Industries Co Ltd - PICL - project during the height of the WA Inc scandal in the late 1980s? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
(1)-(2) Let us speak the truth. The Liberal Party does not want the southern rail. That is the truth, Mr Speaker. This is what it will do. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The rail Bill went through the Legislative Assembly and was debated for how long? Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Ms A.J. MacTiernan: About 20 hours. Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: About 20 hours in the Legislative Assembly. It has since gone to the Legislative Council. The Australian Labor Party does not have a majority in the Legislative Council. It is very keen to make sure that the rail project is progressed. It will make sure that the efforts the Opposition is making to try to stop this important project from coming to fruition are stopped. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: This is pathetic. What are we talking about? We are talking about a rail project that will link Mandurah to the city centre. It will link the southern suburbs with the rest of Perth’s metropolitan rail system. That system will secure the future of the city of Perth for well over 100 years. That is what it will do. It is the same as the decision made by a former Labor Government to put rail through the northern suburbs. It secured the future of the northern suburbs! That is what it did. Members opposite lack the imagination to understand how cities work; they do not understand. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: Their thinking is very short term; they have no understanding of what must be done to preserve urban amenity and social equality in a big city like Perth. They do not have the ability to see what needs to be done for Perth and Western Australia. That is why they are on that side of the Parliament and we are on this side! The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The Leader of the Opposition called it a “back room and secret deal”. It is so back room that it has been publicised fully and debated in Western Australia! That is how back room it is. A station for South Perth was in the Government’s master plan. It is not something that the Government is opposed to in principle. The Greens (WA) member, Hon Jim Scott, told the Government that he thinks it should be brought forward in the budget. The Government is happy to agree with him on that. The Government will not allow the Liberal Party to halt the progress of Western Australia. It will not allow the Liberal Party to stop the sort of changes that are needed in Perth and Western Australia. The Opposition is living in the past. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Opposition is so desperate - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! The level of noise coming from members mainly on my left means that the Premier’s answer to this question is becoming overly long. I ask members not to interject, otherwise I will call members to order. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: Let me conclude by saying that the desperation of the Opposition on this issue is borne of its irrelevance in contemporary Western Australia.
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.