Question Without Notice No. 88 asked in the Legislative Council on 20 March 2018 by Hon Martin Aldridge
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT — MOORA VISIT
88. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the minister's planned and cancelled visit to Moora on 19 March 2018.
(1) Was it the minister's intention to visit Moora, and for what purpose had the minister planned to travel there?
(2) How was the minister expecting to travel to Moora?
(3) Where was she travelling from?
(4) Why did the minister reconsider her travel to Moora yesterday, and was it related to the serviceability of the local airstrip to depart after dark?
(5) Did the minister consider staying in Moora overnight and departing at first light?
(6) Did the minister consider travelling to Moora by road, in light of her government's insistence that the children attending Moora Residential College will have several options for boarding once the college has closed?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I am very glad that the ''MetroNats'' missed me. I missed the National Party on Sunday at the Harvey Harvest Festival. There was not a National in sight, and of course there was me, Robyn Clarke, Hon Adele Farina, plus many more out there strutting our stuff.
(1)–(6) As to Moora, I was going to be representing the Minister for Education. I had agreed to do that last week. I had appointments up until, I think, 4.30 pm in Perth. I was going to zip up and zip back, but, unfortunately, the Moora airstrip was not able to confirm that its lights were operational. Why could I not stay? There were two reasons. Firstly, I had childcare duties later that evening and, secondly, first thing this morning I had to deliver a keynote address at a regenerative agriculture event, which I considered to be extremely important, as I had undertaken to do it about a month ago. However, I was ably represented by my fantastic parliamentary secretary, Hon Darren West, who absolutely blitzed it. He went out there and spoke about the great initiative between TAFE and the local agricultural supplier AFGRI, which is a really positive development and around 39 training places will be provided. I had jobs to do, and I do not think anybody would ever fault my work ethic. I was very proud that Hon Darren West, a man so well known to the people of Moora —
Hon Martin Aldridge: They love him!
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: They do! He got a thundering round of applause when he got up and made this fantastic announcement. I know it does not suit the National Party, but people in Moora are ready to move on.