Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The electorate of Cowan is just 180 square kilometres. It is north of the Perth CBD and consists of 25 outer metropolitan suburbs. It runs from Warwick in the south-west to Tapping and part of Banksia Grove in the north and down to Ballajura and Malaga in the south-east. I would like to talk about the infrastructure that helps Cowan residents get around, and I am talking about roads. I am not talking about public transport, because that is purely a state government responsibility because its regulation, fare structures and other administrative aspects are controlled completely by state governments.

Roads are, of course, the preserve of all levels of government. There are local government roads which are the responsibility, in Cowan, of the cities of Joondalup, Wanneroo or Swan. There are also main roads, such as Wanneroo Road, a major north-south arterial in the electorate, which is the responsibility of the state government. In Cowan there are also roads that the federal taxpayers have contributed towards. It is right and proper that the federal government uses taxpayers' funds not only to maintain national roads but also to assist the state and local governments to build and maintain their roads. Unlike with public transport, the federal link is appropriate and clear. Federal excise is generated from the users of petrol and consequently the users of roads around this country. It is therefore a fair expectation, to assist people to get around using our roads and to reduce the number of black spots, that the local, main and national roads should be the beneficiaries of excise revenues. Roads therefore, unlike public transport, is a clear area for proper federal involvement.

In Cowan, the western border, which runs along four suburbs, is the Mitchell Freeway. The Mitchell is clearly a vital road and transport network as it also has a railway line that runs down the middle of it. The northern border of the electorate is Joondalup Drive and then Neaves Road. The eastern border is Beechboro Road, and most of the southern border is Beach Road, but also near Malaga it is the Reid Highway.

Within Cowan there is a history of federal involvement—and I am not just talking about black spot funding—an example of which was the very important Ocean Reef Road extension, which was funded predominantly by the Howard government's Auslink program. Funding of $7 million came from the federal government and, with funds from the City of Wanneroo, Ocean Reef Road was extended from Hartman Drive to Alexander Drive. That is now an excellent road and has aided local people and businesses not just with a smoother option but also directly addressed the safety issues of the old Gnangara Road. The extension of Ocean Reef Road replaced the most dangerous parts of Gnangara Road, being the entry and exit points around the suburb of Landsdale. Before the decision to fund the road was made, I submitted a petition surrounding the safety aspects of that area. I believe there were over a thousand names on that petition. That is therefore an example of an excellent use of federal funds to improve infrastructure and safety.

Another example of federal support was before the 2007 election, when the then Treasurer, Peter Costello, made a funding announcement to extend Hepburn Avenue using federal funds. Although the funding agreements were not able to be signed off before the caretaker period, I am nevertheless pleased that the Rudd government saw the value in it, and now Hepburn Avenue extends over to Beechboro Road and also to Marshall Road in Malaga.

It would, however, be wrong to not mention the Swan Valley Bypass in any discussion of the roads in exactly that area. As I mentioned, Hepburn Avenue currently terminates at Marshall Road, but under the $615 million commitment for the Swan Valley Bypass, the Abbott federal government will fund the project, which will involve the construction of a new 40-kilometre highway from the Reid Highway and Tonkin Highway intersection in Malaga to the Great Northern Highway at Muchea. The Reid and Tonkin intersection as it currently exists is not good and is a choke point. It will benefit greatly from this upgrade. The 40 kilometres will include dual carriageway for 15 kilometres and a single carriageway for 25 kilometres. I am also pleased that the east end of Neaves Road will also receive an upgrade where it connects to the new road. These are therefore examples of real improvements and outcomes that will make a big difference to the day-to-day lives of people in Cowan and elsewhere in Perth.

I know that Labor opposes our budget measure of restoring indexation to the petrol excise, but instead of just borrowing more and more, instead of just racking up the debt, through this measure, that money goes directly to these sort of projects. The user is helping to pay.

Elsewhere in and around Cowan we have seen great improvements to traffic flows and I congratulate the Barnett government for leading the way on getting the overpasses done on the Reid Highway at Alexander Drive and Mirrabooka Avenue. I also look forward to the state government's promised Reid Highway overpass at Malaga Drive as this too has been a problem intersection for congestion. Obviously, when business and worker traffic from the major light industrial suburb of Malaga has to move through that intersection, it is a heavily congested place.

Elsewhere in Cowan, or at least affecting the people of Cowan, I would like to mention the Mitchell Freeway, which runs from Currambine South into the city. The entry and exit points from Cowan to the freeway are, from the north, Ocean Reef Road, Whitfords Avenue, Hepburn Avenue and Warwick Road. The Mitchell Freeway has train lines in between the freeway north and south lanes, and these are served by feeder bus services to railway stations at Warwick, Greenwood and Whitfords. The Mitchell Freeway north of Hepburn Avenue was only two lanes wide on each side and this created a significant choke point. Fortunately, the Barnett state government has now completed a third lane on the northbound side, which helps commuters get back to their homes in Cowan more quickly each night. They will also in the future complete a third lane on the southbound lanes as well, and everyone looks forward to that achievement too.

I would, however, like to focus on Wanneroo Road, as that too is somewhat of a choke point along much of its route from the north to the south of Cowan. Wanneroo Road runs parallel to the Mitchell Freeway about two kilometres east of the Mitchell. It is the major north-south arterial route within Cowan. Many commuters from the suburbs of Tapping, Ashby, Sinagra, Wanneroo, Hocking, Pearsall, Woodvale, Kingsley, Madeley, Greenwood, Marangaroo, Warwick and Girrawheen all use the road, as it borders their suburbs. Also, the business traffic from the Wangara and Landsdale industrial areas as well as a lot of traffic from the horticultural areas make use of it.

As I said before, it is a state road and is under the control of Main Roads. I know that Paul Miles, the state MLA for Wanneroo, has been working hard on getting Wanneroo Road upgraded, and together with the City of Wanneroo a great deal has been done from the Wanneroo town site north to Joondalup Drive. The problem south of the town site is, however, that there is just not enough room for a third lane in both directions. In some places in the suburb of Wanneroo and further south, between the road itself and the fences of houses, there is only enough room for the footpath. I have asked the state minister about the options for the upgrading of Wanneroo Road and, sadly, it appears that there are some real limitations. I do, however, hope that options will be considered in the future to take away part of the significant nature strip in the middle of Wanneroo Road to provide another lane that could then alternate between northbound and southbound traffic. I also think that, in the future, overpass possibilities must be considered for the intersection with Ocean Reef Road and Hepburn Avenue; also, when the realignment of Gnangara Road occurs, it should link directly with Whitfords Avenue. It is useful to note that the realignment of Gnangara Road with Whitfords Avenue will allow the removal of a set of traffic lights and improve the traffic flow along Wanneroo Road; that is always good news.

I would also like to acknowledge the good work of the City of Wanneroo in particular. Since Tracey Roberts came to be mayor I have noticed the focus of the city is very much on better roads in the area. The whole realignment of Pinjar Road and the upgrade from Wanneroo Road to Caporn Street has been a massive improvement. The city has also done great work on the Mirrabooka Avenue extension north of Hepburn Avenue.

I would also like to raise the issue of Alexander Drive as it is a north-south arterial in the east of Cowan which is used by many commuters. It is two lanes each way and, in the northernmost section, is capable of being expanded to three lanes each way. It too is a main road—a state road. While it has potential for widening that I hope the state government will take up in the future, Alexander Drive's main limitations are south of Cowan where, in some suburbs, an expansion to three lanes each way appears impossible; however, I can see three lanes being possible in Cowan and linking well to feed the Reid Highway. I also see the potential for Alexander Drive being extended north past Lake Gnangara and eventually linking up to Neaves Road. This will provide additional options for commuters but will also be of benefit for other traffic.

I know the state government's budget is constrained, as they work to provide the infrastructure and the big-cost health needs of the city, while also trying to reduce their debt. At the Commonwealth level there are also great challenges around reducing the size of the deficit as we work back towards a surplus; but that is why the budget measure of devoting the excise indexation revenue toward the projects already promised and, in the future, to projects such as I have mentioned, must be undertaken. We ask motorists to pay about 40c more a week so that the roads can be provided for their use. This is what happens when all the money has been spent over the last six years and all those promises made into the future. This is the outcome and now, with all the money gone and debt increasing, we must pay for these roads by seeking this contribution. It would be reckless and naïve to do it any other way. This is the challenge for our country: to achieve better roads and fix the budget at the same time.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 20:58.