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.