ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE — PERTH
533. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Minister for Transport:
I have the pleasure of asking my
question to the Minister for Transport. Minister, I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in road infrastructure across Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how projects, such as the new Mandurah Estuary
Bridge, the new Leach Highway–Welshpool Road interchange and the
widening of Ranford Road, are supporting jobs; and outline how they will help
ease congestion across WA?
(2) Furthermore,
can the minister update the house on how this massive infrastructure program
compares with the record of the previous failed government?
The SPEAKER: I will note that
that question was a little long. Minister for Transport to respond, please.
Ms R.
SAFFIOTI replied:
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Jandakot for that question. He is talking about projects
in the community. Funnily enough, my star
sign for today is quite interesting. It says that today's stars favour
local community projects, group activities, such as this, and
cosmopolitan international connections. I do not have the last one!
The
SPEAKER: You have just been asked
a question by the member for Jandakot. I think you have the connection!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: Oh, yes!
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: Three out of
three—community projects, group activities, which we are engaging in at
the moment, and cosmopolitan international connections. There we go, member for
Jandakot!
Turning to the question, today we
again saw incredible employment rate results in Western Australia. Of course,
throughout the state we are seeing massive spending on infrastructure, as I outlined.
Last year, $3.2 billion was spent. Whether it is regional roads, whether it is
public transport, whether it is maritime expenditure, whether it is supporting
people travelling throughout regional Western Australia through airfare caps or
whether it is roads, we are doing all we can across the state to ensure that we
create jobs, reduce congestion and improve the connectivity of towns and
suburbs across WA.
We are seeing a couple of really
exciting projects at different stages in their life, such as Ranford Road. One
of the best benefits of our rail projects also benefits our road projects. I have
never been in the camp that says you should neglect road spending just to focus
on public transport. You can do both and we are doing both. That includes, for
example, Ranford Road. We are expanding Ranford Road's capacity. The
first of 18 beams were installed in May last year, as we know, member, and the
final three will complete the process. At 15 metres long and weighing 200 tonnes, the beams are some of the largest of
their type built in Australia, manufactured here by the Georgiou Group at Hazelmere. The final section of the bridge
build is expected to be complete and fully operational next year. Again,
this will reduce congestion, improve public transport capacity in relation to
the bus lanes and, of course, will help facilitate the Thornlie–Cockburn
Link.
The
Mandurah Estuary Bridge, member for Dawesville and member for Mandurah, is
again a project that the previous government, despite being in
government for eight and a half years, failed to deliver, absolutely neglecting
the people of that area. We are in the planning stage to build on and expand
the bridge, again to reduce the bottlenecks and reduce congestion.
The
project for the interchange ranked as the most congested across the entire
network is the Leach Highway–Welshpool Road interchange. The
train has been diverted on to the Leach Highway overpass. We will be completing
the roundabout underneath it over coming months. Of course, it will reduce
congestion there. When we remove that terrible
level crossing at Welshpool Road—which, of course, will happen as an
early part of the project because we will tear up those train tracks—and
have the new bridge operating, it will completely change it and reduce the
congestion and stoppages in that area.
As
the member outlined, this is about communities. This is about making sure
people can get home safely and with less congestion. Again, it builds on
the record infrastructure spend in the state and makes sure that people have
jobs and we build infrastructure for not only today, but also generations to
come.