Transport Infrastructure

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-105528

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Transport Infrastructure

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (15:14:44):

My question is addressed—

The SPEAKER:

There is too much audible conversation in the Chamber. Members will revert to the quieter state I mentioned earlier.

Mr MARK COURE:

My question is addressed to the Minister for Transport and Roads. How is the New South Wales Government delivering on key transport projects and any other related matters?

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE (BegaMinister for Transport and Roads) (15:15:31):

— I thank the member for Oatley for his question. I wish him well for the recovery from his leg injury. It is an excellent and timely question in the week we opened Sydney Metro Northwest. It is an incredible success. Metro mania has hit town and it is absolutely fantastic. I can confirm to the House that 280,000 people have ridden the Metro.

An Opposition member interjected

[.]

No, you are banned. There is a lifetime ban on anyone from the Labor Party riding the metro. From what I saw on the weekend at the ribbon-cutting, there is no doubt that people are loving it. I acknowledge the Premier, who stared down the disbelievers of this project, of which there were many. It was her vision to see a driverless single-deck train for the people of this State. One great benefit of the metro is the automatic sliding doors. The member for Strathfield loves those sliding doors. The great thing about it them is that the gap is only yay big so no-one can fall through the cracks. There is no doubt that this project will go from success to success. We are running the trains every six to seven minutes, ironing out glitches as we go. In the next few weeks we will run a train every four minutes. That will have an incredible effect. I also acknowledge Sydney Trains who have worked around the clock to make sure that their system works alongside the metro's.

We know that members opposite who opposed the metro took to the last election a campaign of wanting to rip up contracts. It did not matter whether it was scrapping the metro, the stadiums, the F6, the Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link—the list goes on. You have to hand it to the member for Strathfield, the look‑at‑me‑look‑at‑me candidate for the Labor leadership. Only a month ago she said the Government was focused on building stuff. That is absolutely right. That is one thing that we will continue to get on with and do.

The other great element to the metro is that it was delivered slightly ahead of time but $1 billion under budget. Whilst we are getting on with it,what is going on on the other side? There is more and more infighting. Look at the conduct of members opposite this week: Their heads are down, there is no energy, they are treating the lower House like the upper House. There is absolutely no doubt that the leadership contest is going to heat up over the next few weeks. I know that those opposite have certainly been in disarray—

The SPEAKER:

Order! I call the member for Bankstown to order for the first time.

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE:

—since the member for Wallsend declared that she was not contesting the Labor leadership. There is absolutely no doubt that when we see the member for Kogarah running away from the meat workers union who want to stab him, the knives are out. We can bet that the member for Strathfield is not too far away.

Mr Clayton Barr:

Point of order: Predictably, my point of order relates to Standing Order 129 about relevance. The question is about transport infrastructure in New South Wales.

The SPEAKER:

The Minister is being relevant.

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE:

That is an excellent ruling, Mr Speaker. One of the great things about the Labor Party is that they have got this leadership contest. I note that the member for Newcastle is going to have a leadership forum. When he brings them up, he will be able to disclose to the—

Mr Clayton Barr:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

I will hear the point of order, but I hope it is not the same point of order. I allow a slight transgression from what has been a highly relevant answer, so if the member's point of order is about relevance again, it is much too soon since his last point of order. The Clerk will stop the clock.

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE:

I can suspend standing orders and give myself another 10 minutes if the member likes. One of the key things that I like about Newcastle—the member for Newcastle will be able to show off the light rail to—

An Opposition member interjected.

[]

Extension of time

But guess what? About 365,000 other people have got on it. []

There have been 365,000 trips but I still have not had an answer from the member for Newcastle as to whether he has been on the light rail. He is saying no. Mate, I am going to look through months of closed-circuit television footage and prove that you were on it.

The SPEAKER:

Order! If members do not remain silent I will start calling them to order. The member for Fairfield will come to order.

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE:Newcastle Herald

The member for Newcastle is going to have a leadership forum. I was interested to read in the that Jodi McKay said, "Newcastle and I have split, permanently." I do not know how Jodi is going to come to Newcastle.

Mr David Harris:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The Minister will resume his seat.

Mr David Harris:

My point of order relates to Standing Order 74. The Minister is being deliberately quarrelsome with the member for Newcastle and he should cease to do so.

The SPEAKER:

I have heard enough. The Minister will continue.

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE:

Anyway, 365,000 people in Newcastle have made trips. I am very pleased that we are soon going to open the first of four tunnels of the WestConnex project. That will particularly please the member for Strathfield because she has property near the tunnel. The Parliamentary Ethics Adviser has already hollowed out a few issues around that.

Ms Kate Washington:

Point of order: My point of order relates to Standing Order 73. If the Minister wants to make personal reflections or imputations about the member for Strathfield, he should do it by way of a separate substantive motion.

The SPEAKER:

The Minister will continue. He is going close to the line, but has not overstepped it.

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE:

The point is the first of four WestConnex tunnels is opening in the next few months. It is great news for everybody as thousands of trucks will go off Parramatta Road. It is another example of why this Government is able to build public transport and roadways at the same time. It is because we manage the finances and we get on with the job. And to members opposite: Michael, welcome back. We thank you for your service.