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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 471 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 7 September 2021 by Dr K. Stratton

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

PURPLE CAT BUS SERVICE

471. Dr K. STRATTON to the Minister for Transport:

I refer to the McGowan Labor government's investment in public transport, including the expansion of the CAT bus services.

(1) Can the minister outline to the house how this investment will support access to key activity hubs, such as the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, and help drive more vibrancy in the Perth CBD?

(2) Can the minister outline to the house how this government's record of delivering for Western Australians compares with the way they have been treated by the Liberal and National Parties?

Ms R. SAFFIOTI replied:

(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. It was exciting to announce the new purple CAT service. Members may ask why we chose the colour purple, but I will let them figure that one out!

Ms A. Sanderson interjected.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: Yes, it is because of the Wiggles! That is a good reason, members.

The new purple CAT will link the city to the University of Western Australia and, importantly, to Perth Children's Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, which is a congestion point. We want to reduce the traffic in that area and make it easier for families to visit loved ones in Perth Children's Hospital. It is really, really important for not only the city and the member for Nedlands' good electorate, but also the suburbs so that people can catch public transport into the city and get on the free purple CAT to see their loved ones in one of the hospitals or get to the university. Again, a major factor for those living in the suburbs is how to get to UWA. This will make it easier for people throughout the suburbs to connect to the university. I am very proud of that achievement, and I am very proud to deliver it with the member for Nedlands and, of course, the member for Perth, who has been a long-time advocate for these projects.

We are also expanding our red and blue CAT bus services to bring them to key tourist landmarks and attractions. The red CAT service will be expanded to our beautiful Matagarup Bridge, and its hours of operation will extend to nine o'clock on weeknights and midnight on Friday and Saturday. In a sense, the red CAT will become a black CAT at night! The blue CAT service will also be expanded into Kings Park. This is part of our total commitment to public transport vibrancies, and I am glad the member said ''activity centres''. We have not quite reached into all the western suburbs, which is a core activity centre of Nationals WA members, as we know. We have only to look at this photo to remember the historic meeting at the Mosman Park Bowling Club of the Liberal and National Party. It was a momentous occasion in Mosman Park with National Party members in Mosman Park talking about all their ambitions for regional WA. Look who was there. There were some key members of ''The Clan''!

Several members interjected.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: I have been interested to watch what has unfolded over the past few weeks, and I now feel sorry for the member for Cottesloe, members. I do. He is the leader of the most dysfunctional Liberal Party in the state's history; the most divided, dysfunctional —

Point of Order

Dr D.J. HONEY: I have a point of order.

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Members! When someone calls for a point of order, that point of order is heard in silence. You may not agree with the point of order being called, but it is every member's right in this place to call a point of order and have that point of order heard in silence by me. No interjections when a point of order is called; thank you.

Dr D.J. HONEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the question that was asked.

Ms A. Sanderson interjected.

The SPEAKER: Minister for Environment, I would have thought that in the circumstances you could have set a better example. Minister for Transport, your answer has been quite extensive. I ask you to draw it to a close and constrain your remarks to answering the question asked, please.

Questions without Notice Resumed

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: I did feel sorry for the member for Cottesloe until he called that point of order; now I do not feel sorry for him at all!

This government is delivering for everybody—in the regions, through the city and through the suburbs—and these new CAT services have been widely accepted and applauded by many people. I am very keen to continue to deliver for Western Australia. But I think the challenge is for the member for Cottesloe to stand up to his own party and get the Liberal Party functional again. The Liberal Party is an embarrassment to WA, and a true test of his leadership is to stand up to the puppeteers in the other place and address the complete dysfunction in his party.