METRONET — ELLENBROOK RAIL LINE
691. Ms M.J. HAMMAT to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's record investment in job-creating, economy-driving
infrastructure. Can the minister update the house on the delivery of the
Metronet Morley–Ellenbrook line and outline how this new rail line will
deliver more economic opportunities in our north-eastern suburbs?
Ms R.
SAFFIOTI replied:
Every week, there are major
milestones being delivered on the Morley–Ellenbrook line. I was out
there on Friday last week to take another tour of the project to see the work
that is underway. There is significant work underway at the Ellenbrook train
station; the Whiteman Park train station; the Malaga train station, near where
the film studio will be built, member for
Mandurah; the Morley train station; and, of course, the Noranda train station.
Work is well underway. The southern
dive structure is nearly complete and the northern one is also near completion.
The best part of this project is that
it not only will deliver a rail line to Ellenbrook, which, of course, the
Liberal and National Parties promised twice and failed to deliver twice
to the people there, but also all the other benefits that come from this rail
line, such as the activation of new precincts and new housing opportunities. I can
go through them.
If we start at the new station at Morley, the new skate park
has been delivered, which the members for Morley and Maylands were out there
looking at. That is a community benefit from the new rail line that is being
built there. There will be a new car park and new station in that vicinity. The
Broun Avenue Bridge will be expanded and will have a new bus interchange to
allow for connectivity, both east and west, on Tonkin Highway. Moving north to
Noranda, there will be a brand new station. In Malaga, there will be a brand
new train station and a new carpark to service people in not only Ballajura but
also the electorates of the members for Mirrabooka and Landsdale, in Alexander Heights, Mirrabooka and Girrawheen. The
new Malaga train station will create new housing opportunities and, of course, has allowed us to find the site
for the new film studio. As the Minister for Culture and the Arts outlined,
the studio will have the capacity to expand.
Because it will be built near the Malaga commercial precinct, there will
be the ability for other industries that support the film and television
industry to set up business in that area. This is a very exciting project at
Malaga train station, member for Mandurah.
Mr D.A. Templeman: ''Malagawood''!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: ''Malagawood''!
Then
we go to Whiteman Park. The Whiteman Park master plan has just received an
award from the Planning Institute of Australia for its design up to
Ellenbrook. Of course, one of the developments around Ellenbrook station is a new
youth centre, and other new prospects will be happening around there.
As members can see, this will not be
just a train line to Ellenbrook; it will also provide the ability to create new
opportunities, such as a new film studio, new housing precincts, new youth
centres and new activities for young people
through skate parks. It will be a multifunctional train line that will deliver
benefits not only to connect from A to B, but also to encourage activity
throughout the north-east corridor.