Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On World No Tobacco Day can I say that I have never been a smoker—and I am very grateful for that. I would like to bring to the attention of the parliament two roads in my electorate that I am passionately fighting for. I want to put on notice that, even though I missed out through the budgetary process on strategic road funding for these roads in the Canning electorate, I am going to continue to fight for these roads. This government is a government that produces surpluses. I hope that in the future there is another round of strategic road funding and, if there is, I, along with my local government authorities and community, will be working hard to deliver these roads to the electorate.

As an aside and to demonstrate that I missed out, in the budget the electorate of Brand was given $6.7 million of funding for the extension of Mundijong Road. Mundijong Road goes through my electorate and extends into Brand. The extension will provide a direct route into the city of Rockingham. I am pleased to say that, last Friday, I was there with the Liberal candidate for Brand, Phil Edman, along with the Mayor of the City of Rockingham, Mayor Samuels, officers and other people to herald the funding of the extension of Mundijong Road. Interestingly, the member for Brand did not turn up and the Labor candidate for Brand, Gary Gray, did not even bother turning up—yet they put out a press release claiming that they were responsible for the funding of this road. So how about disingenuous behaviour there!

In relation to the two roads that I am fighting for, under the AusLink strategic regional program the City of Gosnells’ submission seeks funding for the dualling of Garden Street between Moreton Road and Nicholson Road. Currently this road carries 9,500 vehicles daily, and it is predicted that, within the next number of years, it will carry 44,000 vehicles a day. It is not a hugely costly project. It satisfies the regional nature of the program because it is connecting two highways.

The other road that I wish to talk about is the Southern Bypass in Pinjarra. It is a road that is costing $22 million, and seeking $10 million from the federal government. This council now has got its act together and has partners through Boddington Gold Mine and Alcoa. The state government has come to the party now. I am asking that the federal government consider it very carefully, because there are something like 10,000 vehicle movements through this town a day. There are a huge amount of B-double trucks and heavy vehicles right through the city streets of Pinjarra. This needs to be addressed. I will be doing my best to attract funding for this worthwhile project in Pinjarra. It is something that has to be done for the safety of the amenity and the infrastructure for the Peel region. It is something that I will continue to fight to have delivered for my electorate of Canning.

Ian Causley (Page, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! In accordance with standing order 193 the time for members’ statements has concluded.