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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 469 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 7 September 2021 by Mr R.S. Love

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

YANCHEP RAIL EXTENSION — PRINCIPAL SHARED PATH

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

I refer to an approach being made to the City of Wanneroo for the likely reconsideration of the construction of a 13.8-kilometre principal shared path along the Yanchep rail extension, which is to be considered by council today.

(1) Has the minister requested NEWest Alliance to investigate deleting the proposed principal shared path from Butler station to Yanchep station as a way of reducing the overall cost of the extension?

(2) Are any other cuts to the project being considered to reduce the overall cost of the $531.7 million rail extension, of which the federal government contributed $350 million?

(3) Is the project still on target to be finished this year and carrying trains in 2022 as promised?

Ms R. SAFFIOTI replied:

(1)–(3) I thank the member for Moore for the question. Do Nationals WA members still have ''metrodebt'' stickers on their cars?

Several members interjected.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: They do.

Mr W.J. Johnston: They opposed the whole thing.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: They opposed the entire project.

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Order, please, members! Hansard needs to be able to transcribe the Minister for Transport. She can answer the question herself without interruptions.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: Members, after question time, let us go for a wander through the car park. I will point out the stickers on the cars of National Party members. I was in Carnarvon last week.

Dr D.J. Honey: Answer the question.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: Sorry?

Dr D.J. Honey: Answer your question.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: I tell you what: I will ask you a question! Do you support opposition members Nick Goiran and Peter Collier in the upper house? Do you support them being in your party?

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Minister for Transport, the opposition is asking the questions. I ask you to stick to answering the question asked, please.

Mr D.A. Templeman: It was a good question!

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: We will explore that question a bit later maybe, or refer to that question.

When I was in Carnarvon, I walked past the office of the member for North West Central and I saw one of those ''metrodebt'' stickers. So a party that opposes Metronet and believes that we should not be building it has now come in here and is trying to pretend that it cares about it.

I will go through the principal shared paths. We are spending a record amount on funding cycling infrastructure throughout regional WA and the suburbs. We are currently completing that last missing link along Cranford Avenue, which will mean that there will be a 72-kilometre uninterrupted riding path from Mandurah to the city. In the northern suburbs —

Mr R.S. Love: But you won't get to Yanchep along the rail line. Is that what you're saying?

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: To quote my mother, ''Oh my goodness!'' There will be 72 kilometres of uninterrupted PSPs. I will get to the northern suburbs. We have done the Scarborough Beach Road bridge and filled in that gap. We are doing more work right up to Reid Highway for a continuous PSP. In relation to the Yanchep rail line, which the member for Moore does not believe we should build —

Mr R.S. Love: I do believe you should build it.

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Order, please!

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: I will make an offer, member for Moore. Tomorrow, I will bring in some Glad Wrap and Morning Fresh detergent, which is what I used to use to get rego stickers off my windscreen. I do not know whether members remember doing that. I used to put some Glad Wrap in water with the detergent and then put it on the windscreen to peel off the rego sticker in one fell swoop. It was a very satisfying experience. I am thinking about bringing back the rego sticker just to be able to do that! I have often asked, ''What would be the cost of bringing back rego stickers?'', just so I could have that very satisfying experience of peeling a rego sticker off in one fell swoop!

In relation to the Yanchep rail line PSP, we committed to the Yanchep rail line and did the design. As part of our continuing work to secure funding and build more projects, we are now also delivering the extension of the freeway to Romeo Road, which includes a PSP.

Mr R.S. Love: Which is not to Yanchep.

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: Member, there is a road called Marmion Avenue. In making sure that we always deliver value for money and excellent projects, we are making sure that we get correct connections to the stations—Alkimos, Eglington and Yanchep—and building that PSP along the freeway, which will then be a continuous —

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Order, please, members!

Ms R. SAFFIOTI: We will have a continuous PSP from Romeo Road into the city and we are addressing all the gaps that the former Liberal–National government ignored for eight and a half years. That is a sensible outcome. Building two dedicated PSPs in proximity to and parallel with one another does not present value for money for taxpayers. We are striving to achieve the best outcomes and value for money for taxpayers because we understand that managing the finances appropriately is important.

Members who have ''metrodebt'' stickers on their cars should not come in here and ask questions about Metronet. Do not do that because no-one can take you seriously. We will not take you seriously while you continue to oppose every Metronet project. You are always turning the regions against the metropolitan city and you have used Metronet as the cornerstone of that debate for four years.