Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

This announcement by Jamie Briggs as the assistant minister was an absolute cracker—joint funding of $31 million to fund the $62 million widening. (Extension of time granted) It was funded through savings in existing projects between the Australian government and the Western Australian government. It was agreed by me and the then WA Treasurer, Troy Buswell. In terms of the funding, $31 million from both levels of government—a $62 million project, very significant indeed.

They announced it today but it is underway. We see it continually from those opposite—that they announce projects and pretend that they are somehow new. We have seen in question time over last week and a bit those opposite talking about the Gateway WA project. If you had just arrived, like the member for Bass, who has just arrived here, you might not quite know where Gateway WA is as a project. And there is no criticism there; there is no reason he would be an expert. There are lots of oncers who come and go in this place and they make a contribution while they are here. In terms of the Gateway WA project, you would think that this had been launched last week. Indeed, the Deputy Prime Minister yesterday visited the construction site that is in its second year. But, at the same time as the minister has pretended that this is new, on 13 November 2013 he announced, 'New Ramp at Abernethy Road Now Open'. In a joint release with various backbench members from the coalition, Minister Truss said:

The first section of the $1 billion Gateway WA project—the Abernethy Road and Tonkin Highway interchange—is now complete with the new $15.4 million on-ramp now open for traffic

He went on about how vital it was, that 6,000 vehicles a day would use it. He said:

The ramp reduces travel time by about seven minutes, and saves 3.7 kilometres over existing routes. It is great news for the 22,000 vehicles travelling this section of Abernethy Road.

Indeed, it is. But I have news for those opposite and it is news that people in Perth in Western Australia know, that the new government that was sworn in sometime in September did not get this project funded, built and opened by the beginning of November because construction began more than a year ago on these projects. Indeed, at the end of the release from the minister, he said:

The Australian government has committed $686.4 million—

to the Gateway WA project. And indeed we did! But those opposite pretend that somehow that funding was not real. We heard it again today in question time, when the minister attempted to say that this funding was not there. But he visited the construction project yesterday, and I have news for those opposite who might be new to understanding how a project works. You have to have all of the funding allocated, be it from federal, state or local government or the private sector, in order to sign the contract, in this case with the Gateway WA alliance, to proceed—for the project to start. That is how it works.

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