❓ Opposition questions the Transport Minister about safety concerns regarding C-series trains, citing a demister issue and driver visibility. The Minister deflects, accusing the opposition of opposing local manufacturing and mismanaging past transport projects.
AnsweredQoN 250Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
C-series trains250.Mr Basil Zempilasto
theMinister for Transport:I refer to the
revelations today that all C-series trains were removed from service due to
flames coming from a demister device.(1) When was the minister informed of this issue?(2) Does the minister believe it is safe for
drivers to have to use a $26 squeegee from Bunnings to be able to see out of
the windshield of a moving train?(3) When will the issue with the demister be fixed
on the C-series trains?Several members interjected.The Speaker:Members! The minister has not even
started her response.
theMinister for Transport:I refer to the
revelations today that all C-series trains were removed from service due to
flames coming from a demister device.(1) When was the minister informed of this issue?(2) Does the minister believe it is safe for
drivers to have to use a $26 squeegee from Bunnings to be able to see out of
the windshield of a moving train?(3) When will the issue with the demister be fixed
on the C-series trains?Several members interjected.The Speaker:Members! The minister has not even
started her response.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
24 June 2025
Response time
0 days
Ms Rita Saffioti replied:(1)–(3) To answer the first part of the
question, that is not the case. To answer the second part, in relation to these
issues, the same issues happen with the B-series and the A-series. There are
sometimes issues in relation to trains. That is what happens when we run a
train network, as opposed to a Liberal Party that closed down trains. I know that
the Liberal Party did not have any issues about running trains—because it
shut them down! It basically did not want to run any trains.We have just heard the shadow
Treasurer stand up and say that the Liberal Party is opposed to Made in WA. It
is opposed to local manufacturing. We will tell everyone in this state that the
Liberal Party opposes local manufacturing. Members opposite want to focus on
the WA-made trains and not the other trains. There are technical issues on the
other trains. They do not mention those! They do not mention when there are
technical issues on the other trains—only the WA trains. We have an
opposition that opposes WA manufacturing.Ms Sandra Brewer:Wow.Ms Rita Saffioti:I am just waiting for you guys to
stop talking.Ms Sandra Brewer:Would you like a copy of my
speech, because that is not what I said? Listen to the second part.The Speaker:Member for Cottesloe!Ms Rita Saffioti:I heard you. I was in here; I heard
what the shadow Treasurer said—that they do not support WA
manufacturing, that Made in WA was a costly exercise and that it cost too much.
That is what the shadow Treasurer said. I was sitting here. We know that members
opposite oppose locally manufactured bridges, and that is why they sent the
Matagarup Bridge to some backyard fabricating yard in Malaysia owned by a South
Korean wind turbine company. That is where they sent the Matagarup Bridge to be
built. I know when we made it in WA, members opposite said it was not good
enough—that technical experts went and checked and said that the gaps
were too big and small children would fall through and that the welding was not
sufficient. I know they opposed bringing railcar manufacturing into the state—I
know that—and I know they will do anything to try to criticise locally
made trains and local workers. That is their position. I am happy to debate
local manufacturing and a future made in WA for the next four years. Ask me a
question every question time and I will tell members how I believe Western
Australians can make things. I actually believe that Western Australians have
the ability to make trains. That is what I do; that is what I believe.In relation to the
member's questions—you are looking up, just to make sure.Mr Basil Zempilas:No; I'm looking at the Speaker,
actually.Ms Rita Saffioti:Looking up, looking up: "Make
sure they are watching me. Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!" That is
what the Leader of the Opposition says. If it is not the monologue in the
mirror, it is quickly glancing up to make sure they are looking at you. Are you
looking at the Leader of the Opposition, members up in the gallery?Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Thank you, minister.Ms Rita Saffioti:Are you looking at him?Mr John Carey:Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's
the fairest of them all?Ms Rita Saffioti:Lord Farquaad fromShrek!I know that the
Leader of the Opposition does not like WA manufacturing, and the shadow
Treasurer claims—Mr Basil Zempilas:We care about safety, Deputy
Premier. That's the question. We're asking about safety on trains that travel
160 kilometres an hour and caught on fire.The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:I think you stretched that a little
bit there—just a little bit. The Leader of the Opposition wants to run down
trains. Remember what the previous Leader of the Liberal Party did?Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:Remember, she came in during the COVID
pandemic, for members who were not here, and she produced a photo, saying, "Can
you believe that there wasn't enough social distancing on trains?" She
came inwith a photo, saying, "Can you believe
that during COVID you're not allowing social distancing on trains?" Littledid we know that she was actually using a photo from 2012.Point of orderMr Lachlan Hunter:Point of order.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Minister!Dr Tony Buti:What standing order?Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition!Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition! No; I am
talking to you. Do not carry on.Attorney General, it
is a point of order.Mr Lachlan Hunter:Thank you, Mr Speaker. On
relevance, the Leader of the Opposition asked a very simple question to the Minister
for Transport about C-series trains, and she is not being relevant at all to
the question.The Speaker:I am not upholding that point of order.Minister, if you
could conclude your comments, that would be great.Questions without notice resumedMs Rita Saffioti:The only person with a bigger ego
than the Leader of the Opposition is the member for Central Wheatbelt, and that
is saying something.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:I do not know who went and purchased
the bigger mirror on that side: "That isn't a mirror; this is a mirror!"
There are monologues in front of the mirrors before they come in here. I think
the member for Central Wheatbelt shared a house that was previously that of the
former member for Central Wheatbelt and the one before that, and, each time,
they increased the size of the mirror in that sharedBig Brotherhouse.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member! Thank you, minister.Ms Rita Saffioti:I am only glad he is on your side
and not ours.Members, we are
proud of our C-series trains. We are proud of local manufacturing, the buses,
the trains, and what will soon be the new ferries, too. Under ourMade in WAplan, we want to make our batteries in
WA. It is an ambitious plan, but we are very committed to continue to deliver
our new trains.
C-series trains
question, that is not the case. To answer the second part, in relation to these
issues, the same issues happen with the B-series and the A-series. There are
sometimes issues in relation to trains. That is what happens when we run a
train network, as opposed to a Liberal Party that closed down trains. I know that
the Liberal Party did not have any issues about running trains—because it
shut them down! It basically did not want to run any trains.We have just heard the shadow
Treasurer stand up and say that the Liberal Party is opposed to Made in WA. It
is opposed to local manufacturing. We will tell everyone in this state that the
Liberal Party opposes local manufacturing. Members opposite want to focus on
the WA-made trains and not the other trains. There are technical issues on the
other trains. They do not mention those! They do not mention when there are
technical issues on the other trains—only the WA trains. We have an
opposition that opposes WA manufacturing.Ms Sandra Brewer:Wow.Ms Rita Saffioti:I am just waiting for you guys to
stop talking.Ms Sandra Brewer:Would you like a copy of my
speech, because that is not what I said? Listen to the second part.The Speaker:Member for Cottesloe!Ms Rita Saffioti:I heard you. I was in here; I heard
what the shadow Treasurer said—that they do not support WA
manufacturing, that Made in WA was a costly exercise and that it cost too much.
That is what the shadow Treasurer said. I was sitting here. We know that members
opposite oppose locally manufactured bridges, and that is why they sent the
Matagarup Bridge to some backyard fabricating yard in Malaysia owned by a South
Korean wind turbine company. That is where they sent the Matagarup Bridge to be
built. I know when we made it in WA, members opposite said it was not good
enough—that technical experts went and checked and said that the gaps
were too big and small children would fall through and that the welding was not
sufficient. I know they opposed bringing railcar manufacturing into the state—I
know that—and I know they will do anything to try to criticise locally
made trains and local workers. That is their position. I am happy to debate
local manufacturing and a future made in WA for the next four years. Ask me a
question every question time and I will tell members how I believe Western
Australians can make things. I actually believe that Western Australians have
the ability to make trains. That is what I do; that is what I believe.In relation to the
member's questions—you are looking up, just to make sure.Mr Basil Zempilas:No; I'm looking at the Speaker,
actually.Ms Rita Saffioti:Looking up, looking up: "Make
sure they are watching me. Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!" That is
what the Leader of the Opposition says. If it is not the monologue in the
mirror, it is quickly glancing up to make sure they are looking at you. Are you
looking at the Leader of the Opposition, members up in the gallery?Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Thank you, minister.Ms Rita Saffioti:Are you looking at him?Mr John Carey:Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's
the fairest of them all?Ms Rita Saffioti:Lord Farquaad fromShrek!I know that the
Leader of the Opposition does not like WA manufacturing, and the shadow
Treasurer claims—Mr Basil Zempilas:We care about safety, Deputy
Premier. That's the question. We're asking about safety on trains that travel
160 kilometres an hour and caught on fire.The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:I think you stretched that a little
bit there—just a little bit. The Leader of the Opposition wants to run down
trains. Remember what the previous Leader of the Liberal Party did?Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:Remember, she came in during the COVID
pandemic, for members who were not here, and she produced a photo, saying, "Can
you believe that there wasn't enough social distancing on trains?" She
came inwith a photo, saying, "Can you believe
that during COVID you're not allowing social distancing on trains?" Littledid we know that she was actually using a photo from 2012.Point of orderMr Lachlan Hunter:Point of order.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Minister!Dr Tony Buti:What standing order?Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition!Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition! No; I am
talking to you. Do not carry on.Attorney General, it
is a point of order.Mr Lachlan Hunter:Thank you, Mr Speaker. On
relevance, the Leader of the Opposition asked a very simple question to the Minister
for Transport about C-series trains, and she is not being relevant at all to
the question.The Speaker:I am not upholding that point of order.Minister, if you
could conclude your comments, that would be great.Questions without notice resumedMs Rita Saffioti:The only person with a bigger ego
than the Leader of the Opposition is the member for Central Wheatbelt, and that
is saying something.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:I do not know who went and purchased
the bigger mirror on that side: "That isn't a mirror; this is a mirror!"
There are monologues in front of the mirrors before they come in here. I think
the member for Central Wheatbelt shared a house that was previously that of the
former member for Central Wheatbelt and the one before that, and, each time,
they increased the size of the mirror in that sharedBig Brotherhouse.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member! Thank you, minister.Ms Rita Saffioti:I am only glad he is on your side
and not ours.Members, we are
proud of our C-series trains. We are proud of local manufacturing, the buses,
the trains, and what will soon be the new ferries, too. Under ourMade in WAplan, we want to make our batteries in
WA. It is an ambitious plan, but we are very committed to continue to deliver
our new trains.
C-series trains
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