Page 3748 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 28 October 2015
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MS LAWDER: Minister, what road building and upgrade projects have been delayed as a result of your efforts as minister for transport reform?
MR RATTENBURY: Mr Hanson interjected referring to Cotter Road and the discussion we had on that recently. It was interesting to see how the remarks I made in this place were distorted by the members of the opposition. I stood in this place and I said the important thing is to make sure that we assess fully the needs of the road. At the time I cited vehicle movements per day and said the average number, the threshold where road experts start to get serious about needing duplication, is 18,000 vehicle movements a day. The figures I had at that time, the last figures that I had, were that that road was at about 13,000 vehicles a day. So I was simply making the point that when the Liberal Party walks in here and says we should duplicate a road they are not even looking at the criteria that road engineers use for duplicating a road—it is just a free-for-all.
The observation I was making about that is that it typifies how this party thinks about roads: duplicate them without any reference to the normal criteria that normal, common-sense people use. They just go for broke.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, come to order.
MR RATTENBURY: Further into that debate Mr Gentleman came in here with updated figures which pointed out that the number of vehicle movements per day on that road had grown to put it much closer—
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Hanson! Mr Coe!
MR RATTENBURY: Mr Gentleman did put some further figures on the table which pointed to greater pressure on that road than the data that I had available indicated. But that was simply my point—we should be looking at those sorts of measurements. This lot across the chamber went out and started running all sorts of lines about my complete opposition to that sort of project, whereas I sought to have a nuanced conversation, which I know is beyond my colleagues on the opposite benches. But that is what needs to happen on these sorts of issues.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, which specific road projects have been stalled or delayed due to your “car diet”?
MR RATTENBURY: Mr Gentleman is the minister responsible for roads, so that is a matter for him to consider.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
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