Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to build on the previous member's passion for the environment and talk about an initiative this government is getting behind which will reduce congestion on the roads and be a cleaner, greener method of bulk transport. Part of the role of government is to look ahead at innovations that are available which change the nature of how we do business, make people's lives easier, save money and continue to deliver essential services. One of those critical areas is the provision of transport infrastructure. I'm very pleased that the Morrison government is delivering $84½ million in critical infrastructure improvements in my electorate of Stirling. Forty-five million dollars has been provided for a massive improvement to the Stirling bus station on Cedric Street; $17½ million has been provided over and above $65 million for the Stephenson Avenue extension project; and I'm pleased to be able to say that this list now includes $2 million in funding for a business case for a trackless tram between the main north-south Mitchell Freeway and Glendalough Station at the beautiful Scarborough Beach.

Part of the argument made by me, the neighbouring member for Curtin, Celia Hammond, and the City of Stirling in requesting funds has been that this is the only location in WA and, as I understand it, the nation, which is shovel-ready for this type of project. The city has done years of rezoning for the seven-kilometre route between the heavy rail line out to Scarborough Beach, at the famous foreshore, which now boasts a $100 million redevelopment. I would now like to acknowledge the City of Stirling and its visionary leadership under Mayor Mark Irwin, Deputy Mayor Bianca Sandri, and CEO, Stuart Jardine. In my term so far as the federal member for Stirling, it's been really encouraging and enjoyable to work with the City of Stirling to deliver and improve the lives of people in Stirling.

Trackless tram will add another fantastic improvement. Trackless tram is an innovative technology which seeks to be the best of both worlds, sitting somewhere on the spectrum between light rail and buses. With both heavy and light rail being incredibly expensive and disruptive to install, running into hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions of dollars, trackless tram runs on painted lines and is electric-battery powered. That makes it much cheaper to install for potentially the same kind of benefit, compared to light rail and even more traditional track lines. To progress this initiative, the next step is to fund a business case. This will study the viability of this trackless-tram project. I'm very grateful to the urban infrastructure minister, Alan Tudge, for his vision and leadership in funding this innovative project which aims to deliver the right solution for Australia's future.

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