Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to talk on the shocking failure of the Western Australian Labor government and its Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Alannah MacTiernan, to put the safety of the people in my electorate of Stirling at the forefront of their agenda. For far too long the Western Australian Labor government has tried to fob off repeated calls for a much needed overpass at the intersection of Mirrabook Avenue and the Reid Highway in Mirrabooka. This intersection is extremely dangerous. Indeed, it is in the top 10 traffic black spots in the whole state, and it is of great concern to my local community. People are being killed and injured at that intersection on a very regular basis.

In the many surveys I have conducted, in my doorknocking and visits to the area during my mobile office days, and from school visits, the message has been loud and clear. The people of Stirling want the Western Australian Labor government to do something about upgrading this intersection. Alannah MacTiernan and the accident-prone member for Yokine, Bob Kucera, are continuing to shirk their responsibilities by refusing to get this project off the ground. They would prefer to bleat that it is the Commonwealth’s fault that they do not live up to their responsibilities to the people of Western Australia.

I was astonished to discover that the state government has again missed an opportunity to fix this intersection. The City of Stirling, the local authority that covers this area, consulted the Main Roads department in Western Australia about where it should apply for Roads to Recovery funding, which is a magnificent Commonwealth program, and was told not to apply for funding to fix this notorious black spot. It appears that the state government is not even remotely serious about doing anything but would prefer to leave it in place and ask for somebody else to fix it. This is despite the fact that close to $4 billion in federal government money for roads funding, under the Australian government’s AusLink program, flows through to important road projects in my home state. That is on top of the amount of GST funding handed back to the Western Australian Labor government, totalling $3.758 billion in the last financial year.

The state government are also reaping a windfall through a property boom, and transfer taxes such as stamp duty are bringing in tens of millions of dollars of added revenue to the state government. They are awash with money, yet they refuse to use it to upgrade the much needed infrastructure that they are responsible for. The Western Australian Labor government is $171 million better off under the new system of road funding that the Commonwealth has created, and AusLink will also give $5 million in 2005-06 for Western Australian black spot projects. The black spot program has been extended a further two years, as promised, to 2007-08.

The AusLink program also includes the Roads to Recovery program for local councils. The federal government has delivered on its promise to improve many other local traffic networks by doubling the amount of money it gives to the City of Stirling to improve local roads. The announcement of close to $2 million for Stirling city council should see many improvements and safety projects get up and running—issues that are very close to the heart of my community. This money can be used to help ease traffic flows and make our roads safer, and it comes hot on the heels of major black spot funding given to upgrade the safety features at dangerous intersections in Karrinyup, Osborne Park, Nollamara and Mirrabooka.

The announcement of $360,000 in black spot safety improvements from the Australian government will help to save lives on local roads. Works include modification to traffic signals, the extension of right-hand turning lanes and the upgrading of pedestrian facilities at locations in Osbourne Park, Mirrabooka, Karrinyup and Nollamara. The black spot funding fulfils a promise that I made at the last election to help ease traffic congestion along Scarborough Beach Road, an issue that is of great concern to my local community.

Councils in Western Australia will receive $45 million under the Roads to Recovery program with a further $76 million provided as untied local road grants. This windfall honours the Australian government’s commitment to improving our local road networks, making them safer and relieving traffic congestion. This major funding will see improvements to our local transport networks realised. It will allow the City of Stirling to take a look at what needs doing, assess the community’s priorities and get the relevant projects underway. These projects can include local roads as well as recreation facilities and services.

The federal government is committed to improving our road networks and to making them safer for local families in my electorate of Stirling. But the state Labor government is continuing to shirk its responsibilities and not do anything about dangerous traffic black spots while hiding under the cover that they expect the Commonwealth to do something in an area that is clearly their responsibility. Wake up and smell the coffee, Alannah MacTiernan; get something done for the people in my electorate. (Time expired)