ELLENBROOK RAIL LINE — WHITEMAN PARK STATION
596. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating transport projects,
including the delivery of Metronet.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the work underway to deliver the Morley–Ellenbrook
line, including Whiteman Park station, and what this project will mean for
people in the north-eastern corridor?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government's unprecedented
infrastructure investment compares with the record of the Nationals WA and the
Liberal Party?
Ms R.
SAFFIOTI replied:
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Swan Hills for that question. She is a strong supporter of
Metronet and the Morley–Ellenbrook rail line. Yesterday, we released
the first images of the new Whiteman Park train station, and it is incredible.
The Whiteman Park train station is a key part of the Morley–Ellenbrook
line.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Minister, just
pause for a moment here. We had an interjection from the member for Cottesloe.
That is not an opportunity for everybody else to interject, and it is
unparliamentary. What I would like to hear is the answer to the question that
was asked by the member for Swan Hills.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: The key
difference between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party is that we announce
things because we are doing things. Do members remember the former member for
Swan Hills, ''Little Frankie''? He said the Liberals will build
the rail line to Ellenbrook. Do members remember that one? The Liberals
announced the Ellenbrook rail line and never delivered it in eight years. They
never started it! They promised it twice and never even started or planned for
it. The difference is that we announce because we do. They announce and they
break promises—that is all they did.
We have referred a little bit to
the Leader of the Liberal Party's comments in front of the Liberal
Party state council meeting last weekend. Members will remember him performing
for the puppetmasters in the audience. In his comments on public transport he
said that he does not believe in taxpayer subsidisation for people using our
trains.
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: He stood in
front of that audience and criticised the subsidisation of public transport.
I go back to the beautiful Morley–Ellenbrook
rail line.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER: Member for Cottesloe, I am asking you not
to interject.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: The member
for Cottesloe is very touchy. He likes to criticise, but when we put a mirror
in front of his performance, he cannot handle it. Do members remember
his performance in front of those puppetmasters, the upper house members? He described them as ''the good Liberals
in this audience.'' He said, ''People might criticise you
out there, but you're good Liberals and please keep me as leader for a bit
longer.'' That is basically what he was begging for at his own Liberal Party
conference.
I
will get back to the new Whiteman Park station, members. It is a beautiful new
station and a beautiful design. A new
underpass at Drumpellier Drive will connect the residents of Dayton, Brabham
and Henley Brook. A 20-metre underpass
will ensure that people in that corridor can get to the train station by
cycling or walking. In the next five to 10 years, 12 000 new homes will be built in that corridor, with 32 000
additional people coming into that area. There will be parking bays,
toilets, lifts, escalators and bus stands.
As part of the entire project, the
other work that people can see happening as they drive along Tonkin Highway is
the Tonkin Highway Gap project. We had an incredible bridge lift over the
weekend and one of the four bridges around
the Guildford Road and Railway Parade area is now complete. If people look in
the medium term, they will see that it is the work for the Morley–Ellenbrook
rail line. Work is happening up and down that corridor. Again, we apologise for
the disruption, but we are delivering the Ellenbrook rail line, a rail line
that members opposite promised and failed to deliver. They lied about it time
and again.