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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 749 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 24 September 2020 by Mr R.S. Love

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

TIER 2 MILING–TOODYAY RAIL LINE

749. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Transport:

I refer to today's announcement on the tier 1, 2 and 3 rail lines. Given that the tier 2 Miling–Toodyay rail line in my electorate reopened only in May after a series of derailments, can the minister outline to the house what priority this line will have in the minister's list of rail investments?

Ms R. SAFFIOTI replied:

I love it when the National Party asks about rail lines in regional Western Australia. If only the National Party did not sell them. The National Party sold them in some sort of grubby deal with the then Premier, as I recall. The policy was called Transform WA. I will always remember that the National Party sold them in a stupid, short-sighted act. In a desperate grab for a bit of cash to try to buy a few seats, the National Party sold the regional railways, and we have suffered ever since. That is what happened, and that is what happens when we have a Liberal–National Party coalition. The National Party pretends that it goes in to bat for regional WA but, as we have seen in the past, it will sell its soul to be in cabinet be part of government. When I was working with Geoff Gallop in opposition, I can remember the big A3—Transform WA and all the little road projects that the National Party got as a result of the proceeds of that sale. It was a short-sighted, terrible —

Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: What was that, member for Darling Range?

Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.

The SPEAKER: Members, let us get back to the minister's answer.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: I will take the interjection. Tell us about your successful small business in Kalamunda. Where is it? Stand up and tell us where it is.

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Members! Get back to what you were talking about, minister.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: The member for Darling Range said that she was the most successful small businessperson in Darling Range. Where is the successful small business?

Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Darling Range, I call you to order for the first time, and very nearly the second. Let the minister finish. If the member wants to ask a question, she has the opportunity.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: Members would think that the member for Darling Range would be supportive of the tier 3 analysis, because there is an impact on the peri-urban and outer suburbs, with more grain trucks on our roads as a result of the closure of the rail lines.

In answer to the member for Moore's question, we are undertaking a business case analysis on tiers 1 and 2, and now also the tier 3 upgrades. That analysis is looking into the high-priority areas and we will submit those to Infrastructure Australia. We will incorporate the priority projects across the tier 1 rail lines, but particularly across tiers 2 and 3. That is the work that we will be doing.