Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I do have some questions I would actually like the minister to answer as I am intrigued. As you know, the largest project that you are funding in Western Australia is the Perth Freight Link. First of all, I would like you to describe to me what your view is about building such a large project into a port that is going to have to be moved in the next 10 years? That is the first part of my question. Probably the bigger question is seeking to understand why it is that we have been, in the past year, unable to access any documents in relation to this project. We have sought through freedom of information applications. We have sought documents from your office. Your office tells us it has only got two emails: one from main roads saying 'what on earth is going on here' and your office responding that you want to do an event. That is the only documentation, apparently in your office, about a $1.6 billion project.

We have gone to the department to seek information. They have demanded $2,500 to access any documentation. They have finally provided us with a list of documents, and each of those documents that are not already in the public domain are listed as being exempt. The justification given for the exemption of the vast majority of these documents, including traffic counts, traffic projections—

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