Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Hansard source

Obviously it will support thousands of jobs. It means commuters can get home sooner and safer and, of course, it supports the economy overall. We announced 14 projects on that day. One of them was in the member for Canning's electorate—he has been a passionate advocate of this for a long time—and that is Lakelands Station. That's an $80 million project, of which we're putting in $64 million, and it breaches what is presently a 23-kilometre gap between the train stations. It is good for local residents' convenience, it will take hundreds of cars off the roads by providing that extra stop and it will create 200 jobs in the process. We made the announcement on the Mitchell Freeway. We also announced that day the next stage of the Mitchell Freeway. That alone will create 500 jobs. The project we announced will start next year and, when complete, will save commuters up to 40 minutes every single week on morning commute times. The Great Eastern Highway upgrade—which I know the member for Hasluck is particularly keen to see—will create 70 jobs. The Fremantle Bridge—I know the member for Fremantle is excited to see this underway—is going to create 1,500 jobs.

A government member: He's celebrating.

He's celebrating the fact this will create 1,500 jobs and is being brought forward. We have funded these things though careful financial management. While bringing taxes down, while coming back to surplus, we've been able to fund these infrastructure projects in Western Australia. The contrast with when the Labor Party was last in government and trying to fund infrastructure projects in Western Australia—where do you think they went to fund those projects? Higher taxes. Back in 2011-12—

Ms Madeleine King interjecting—

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