2017-01-15
The Western Australian taxpayer will not see a cent of funding from Commonwealth coffers to pay for Roe 8 until a business plan is released for Roe 9, which is supposed to outline the expected traffic chaos at Stirling Bridge, the Greens revealed today.
The Greens have called on the Government to release the business plan for Roe 9, to prove their plan of funnelling traffic across Stirling Bridge was a better transport plan for the State.
Member for South Metropolitan Region Lynn MacLaren MLC said this was policy on the run, by a desperate Liberal Government who can see their polling numbers plummet, and disapproval for Colin Barnett soar.
"I revealed in Parliament last year, that there is no business plan for Roe 8, and now I can reveal today that until the Federal Government sees a project proposal report for Roe 9, the WA taxpayer will foot the bill for Roe 8," she said.
"This plan will cause traffic chaos at North Fremantle. Barnett is exposing himself to voter backlash from his own electorate with his decide-announce-defend, ad hoc policy on the run approach.
"The Liberal Party have seen the writing on the wall, the protests at the Beeliar Wetlands are working and public sentiment is shunning Colin Barnett for his completely failed plan for our transport needs.
"The Federal Government has only committed $260m to a tunnel, but it is expected to cost $903m. With the State only committing $181m, wheres the rest of the money coming from?
"All we see from the Government, is secrecy and ad hoc policy."
Transcript from Senate estimates for the need of a PPR:
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22committees%2Festimate%2Fab15ab9d-fc14-4705-83fb-02b3b726117e%2F0002%22
The Greens led Senate inquiry also found that:
- It will cost more than projected, with upgrades to Stock Road, upgrading bridge and tunnel.
- Stirling Bridge will not handle the increased traffic