Steve Walker

September 2015.

To: Committee Secretary. Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport PO Box 6100 Parliament House. Canberra ACT 2600

RE: Freight Link inquiry.

Hi.

As a South Of River (SOR) person who has lived within the Perth’s southern suburbs through the `80s, `90s, 2000s, I am angry that there still is a continuing disconnection of the core southern suburbs from the coast, and Port.

Perth Freight Link provides for connection to Fremantle Port.

I’m here for WA, Perth, and the southern suburbs. I am advocating for in capital city Perth’s interests, the State’s and National interest. The critics against Commonwealth funding for Perth Freight Link, are not acting in the best interests of Perth, WA, and Australia.

We should be cheering its Commonwealth funding, not trying to cancel the funding. History has shown WA that we don’t get limited Federal monies back when they are lost/refused. is also sick of being ripped off by Commonwealth Governments, therefore we deserve funding for extending the key freight route Roe all the way to Fremantle Port.

Perth Freight Link has a multitude of benefits for Perth, WA, and Australia. These sort of transport projects are getting commonwealth funded all over Australia in mainland capital cities.

1

It is a win for public transport. I will discuss the fantastic Public Transit Implications that Perth Freight Link can present to south metropolitan Perth. Especially on , South Street, , which are all major public transit corridors for the southern suburbs.

But first I will explain your terms of reference: the decision making process, the information relied upon, the importance of transparency, evaluation of options, and discuss important key relevant factors.

2

The Decision Making Process:

In the `90s the WA State Government spoke to the Commonwealth /Federal Government for funding for , including connecting it to Stirling Hwy Fremantle. Late in the decade, the Howard Coalition Federal Government indicated support, yet told the State Government it would have to wait a few years (Note: The Federal Government had just taken office after 13 years of opposition). In 2000 there was an announcement of Commonwealth Funding for Roe Highway as a Nationally significant road project, with funds to arrive for construction in mid -2001. Full Commonwealth funding was promised for construction from Welshpool to Fremantle. Between 2001 –2006, Stages 3, 4, 5, 6 were built. Commonwealth funding were still available for the final two stages, yet the WA State Gallop Government (2001–2006), and Carpenter State Government (2006 –2008) wrongly ignored these federal funds for political reasons. Prime Minister Howard and Federal Treasurer Costello still had these federal funds available right upto October 2007. October 2007 New Prime Minister Mr Kevin Rudd, and New Federal Treasurer Mr Swan take the Roe WA commonwealth funding as a cost savings to their federal budget, and continue on to overspend the national budget. The new Nationals-Liberal partnership State Government of September 2008, asked for these funds, yet were told they were gone.

The Rudd, Gillard, and Rudd again Commonwealth Governments would not listen to the WA State Government (2008-2013). Instead they listened to the WA State Opposition party, WA State Labor, for what road and infrastructure projects should be permitted to be Commonwealth funded. The WA State Opposition political strategy was the method being applied through the Commonwealth Government (2007 –2013). This interference hampered the WA State Government. The WA State Government had to adapt to the whims of these Federal Governments, therefore key projects were left waiting.

Since late 2013 when the new Federal Coalition Government took office, they have re- recognised Roe Highway as a nationally significant transport project, and allocated Commonwealth funding to complete the project –Linking Fremantle Port to Roe Highway. Western Australian Transport agencies have worked on planning, and designs for decades in regards to Roe Highway, and Fremantle Port including the river bridges. The current WA Liberal –Nationals partnership State Government has been working on extending Roe Highway since taking office in September 2008. Many Members of Parliament (MPs) in the current State Government were advocating & planning for Roe Highway two decades ago.

In May 2014 the Commonwealth Government announces the $1.6 billon Perth Freight Link. I am not surprised the new Federal Government has renamed and majority funded the Roe Hwy extension & connection to Fremantle Port.

3

Perth and Western Australia have been under financial pressure during the 2000s due to population increases, and a vast number of citizens who continually demand for more State funding to Education sites, Health sites. Let alone the cost of maintaining and building roads across the entire Western Australian region. Without Commonwealth funding, Roe Highway builds will continue to be delayed. Yet the effects of congestion, time delays, economic costs, road crashes, continue to impact this city and State.

The Information relied upon by State and Commonwealth governments informing the decision to fund: Geographically, Western Australia is surrounded on three sides by the ocean. Therefore the ocean has continually provided a key source of transport: to/from Western Australia, and to/from Australia. Western Australia has several ports around the coastline. The capital contains around 2 million citizens, which is 80% of the State population. Its port is Fremantle port. It is the busiest and the most key port for the State and its citizens.

Roe Highway is the dedicated freight link for Perth metropolitan. It passes by the major airport, large industrial areas of Kewdale, Welshpool, Forrestfield, Kenwick, Maddington, Canning Vale, Jandakot. The proposed extension of Roe Highway will take it further west to Bibra Lake industrial area. Considering the current plans of Perth Freight Link: Therefore we have the Fremantle Port at one end, the Airport at the other end. With a series of key large industrial areas between them. It is common sense to fund a dedicated road transport project between them. Without the Perth Freight Link project, heavy vehicles, industrial vehicles, and commercial vehicles will continue to deal with road congestion, delays, traffic lights, cyclists, driveways, and pedestrians.

As I understand it, ~17% of Fremantle area traffic is heavy vehicles, that leaves the majority as private vehicles. Why aren’t we making decisions for the majority? The ‘majority’ want to be connected to the coast. Plus they want to be free flowing connection to the Fremantle river bridges, whether from the north or south.

If PFL is not built, road transport problems will not be solved for the south metro area of Perth. Perth’s transport major congestion and limitations will still exist, and continue to get worse, particularly west of the .

For the good of the 2 million WA state capital metropolitan residents, we need a southern safety link. Transit times, fuel savings, and less road crashes save the community immensely.

4

Transparency of decision making in relation to infrastructure decisions.

The Western Australian State Governments of the `90s, and 2008 onwards have been very open in stating this road project, and explaining the merits of it. Considering there will be an imposed heavy vehicle user charge (toll) on this road, there needs to be confidential discussions from the Federal/State Governments with the private sector TO ENSURE the WA State Government gets the best financial deal for the construction. Otherwise the WA State Government and Federal Government will get ripped off by a greedy private company that benefits from an unfair advantage in negotiations.

September 2013, Liberal National Coalition Federal Government takes office. The WA State Government went to them and asked to get Commonwealth transport funding shifted to projects that are more priority. Build Roe Highway first. A new/current Federal Coalition Government should put transport funding where they choose. Western Australia has waited enough for WA State Labor Political Party to stop dictating the Transport projects and plans. The result(2004–2013) has been negative for southern metro areas and Fremantle Port.

Evaluation of options in the Perth freight task.

WA State Governments and State Transport agencies have been evaluating options for decades. There has always been a constant: Fremantle Port, and how to link to/from. The South Metro Connect Report (2011, 2012.) addressed all negative impacts associated with Roe Highway Stage 8. It clearly stated that the Bibra Lake region was degraded farm land.

The key to the success of Perth Freight Link is the ability of it to lure road traffic departing Fremantle traffic bridges and Fremantle CBD destined for Kwinana Fwy, down the PFL route. That Kwinana Freeway bound traffic must be enticed down and connected to Roe Hwy.

Finally in 2015 there is new efforts to replan this link, possibly south of Stirling Hwy, Possibly under Fremantle Golf course. I am glad that by May 2015 there has been additional investigations to determine if tunnelling from south Stirling Hwy is feasible and a better, safer connection for the road link.

5

Related matters:

PFL will improve public transport in the core southern suburbs, west/east. Number One reason how, is by removing the cross town east to west, and west to east traffic from the major public transit corridors.

I live in the southern suburbs, and have thought of public transit & improvements constantly for the last 3 decades. The critics, whether MPs or Senators do not understand the southern suburbs.

The core southern suburbs have three high volume public transit corridors in Canning Hwy, Leach Hwy, and South Street. Passenger numbers on bus routes are high. These corridors are well placed for Light Rail Transit from the Kwinana Freeway westward, but only if PFL is built. I strongly believe in Light Rail Transit on Leach Hwy, and that it should be allowed to travel all the way to Fremantle. I have communicated this argument to the new WA State Transport minister in 2014, and the WA Department of Transport and Public Transport Authority in recent years. I do believe in Leach Hwy as ‘a true, fit & proper east/west LRT route’ in the southern suburbs. The ‘catchments’ either side of Leach Highway are huge from to Fremantle

When Perth Freight Link is built, the southern suburbs region, will get a massive shift of road traffic (private vehicle, commercial, industrial) from South Street & Leach Highway onto Roe Hwy. This will reduce the demand on both roads. The need for Leach Highway to be six lanes (Fremantle to Albany Highway) will be over. The Department of Transport WA should be planning & enforcing the third lane in each direction to be a dedicated public transit lane. Key problem holding all of this back has been the continued use of six lanes by private vehicles. Traffic levels decreased on Leach Highway east of Kwinana Fwy when Roe Hwy was connected to Kwinana Fwy. Four lanes is enough for Leach Hwy.

On South Street(East of Kwinana Fwy) the third lane got a lame 'peak hours only' bus priority. Extremely disappointing to south suburban communities. It should be all hours, yet is a result limited by Roe Hwy terminating at Kwinana Fwy. A lot of industrial and commercial traffic still use this section of South Street.

New passenger rail lines (Heavy or Light Rail) should be can be planned into rebuilds/upgrades of the Fremantle river bridges.

Yet if freight and cross-town traffic remains on Canning Hwy, Leach Hwy, South Street, Berrigan Drive, Beeliar Drive, etc, then public transit times will remain slower, and future

6 public transport upgrades will be nearly impossible on these routes in areas ‘west of the Kwinana Freeway’. It is quite a contrast when compared to Perth northern metropolitan residential areas. The final builds will continue to take road traffic off Hepburn Avenue, Warrick Road, and Beach Road from the north. While the south from and Scarborough Beach Road. Thereby freeing up these road links for rapid public transit to the ocean. I know the City of Stirling has planned rapid transit routes down Karrinyup Road and Scarborough Beach Road. My attention isn’t merely focused on the southern metro area.

Perth Freight Link in its entirety represents the best way to get road traffic volumes off Canning Hwy, Leach Hwy, and South Street.

I want Roe reserve built on all the way to Cockburn Road, purely built on the coastal connection and southern suburbs bypass arguments. That is two extremely important solid arguments. How long is the southern suburbs expected to wait. Since the mid 1990s it has been overdue. I am still angry that there still is a continuing disconnection of the core southern suburbs from the coast, and Fremantle Port. Realise the hundreds of thousands of people from Forrestfield, Kalamunda, Maddington, Jandakot etc who really want a proper coastal connection.

I don’t believe it’s too much to ask for coastal access. We all have Perth CBD access, and Airport access. Please remember, there are around 500 000 people behind this. That should surely make monies allocated be cost effective.

Full extension of Roe Hwy road reservation west (beyond ) will improve PFL and allow the Perth Freight Link private car vehicles to disperse properly. The Commonwealth Government needs to know this. Currently the Commonwealth Government is reselling the “to Port” connection. Yet I worry the “trucks” and “freight”, talk has overshadowed the “connect to the coast” reasoning. Perth, and especially the southern suburbs need a single uninterrupted road link east/west from Roe Highway to Cockburn Road.

I know the core SOR(South of River) public transport network. I am well aware of current limitations and future limitations should certain Transport plans/projects happen or not happen.

7

The Heavy Vehicle User Charge/ Toll.

The private sector/ toll edict is a consequence mainly of WA State Labor Gallop and Carpenter Governments ignoring the Commonwealth Funds (uptil October 2007), and the Rudd Commonwealth Government re-appropriating the funds (October 2007 onwards). WA is essentially being ‘forced’ to have a toll-way. The near 2 million residents of Perth metro have faced up to the fact that roads (builds, maintenance) are very expensive. Other expensive road projects ( extension, Stage 1 Perth–Darwin Highway) have remained unaffected in State Government and/or Federal funding. I fully know that heavy vehicles/companies will pass on their toll road costs to the general public. This is the consequence we get instead of free (non-toll) route built done by 2007. We (Perth, State) get a toll (through private sector involvement) and an altered route, connecting to Fremantle by 2019.

The Current Stage 2 Alignment.

Dr Gallop (and his WA State Government 2004) foreshadowed the announced alignment, and placed a planning order on the west side of Stock Road, Absolon Street area. It should not be a shock to residents in that vicinity that (PFL) would turn a bend toward High Street Fremantle. Therefore additional land was always needed. They have had over a decade to prepare. Plus those adjacent residential streets were only created in 1997.

Western Australia getting under-funded, ripped off and taken for granted by Australian Federal Governments.

I already mentioned how after the October 2007 Federal election of the Rudd Commonwealth Government, that the continued Roe Hwy commonwealth funding was kept as cost savings to the federal budget. In return WA got around $30m in road funds. Therefore WA lost around $425m in commonwealth road funding. That is a individual huge loss, and the then WA State Transport minister Allanah MacTiernan (Note: current Federal MP for Perth) did not want to publicly admit it was unfair. That is a recent lesson for Western Australia, when you lose federal funds for a project YOU DON’T GET THEM BACK.

The North metropolitan areas of Perth, and their local governments, need to realise this as well. Due to if the WA State Government is forced to fund Perth Freight Link and Fremantle traffic bridges alone, then there is less State funds to spend on NOR roads which are bluntly less priority.

8

During the Infrastructure Stimulus binge of the Rudd Federal Government, a Nation-Building Package was announced (July 2010) to “Invest in Australia’s Future.” The Building Australia Fund (BAF) had 11 projects worth $7.6bn, plus an additional 3 public transit projects worth $316m. Western Australia received funding for two projects: Oakajee Port $339m (from the $7.6bn pile), and (Northbridge) Perth City Rail Link $236m. Compared to other mainland States in Australia, WA was ripped off. WA was allocated a grand total of $575m, yet other mainland east coast States’ received 3 times more funding. Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria got more funding per capita for its infrastructure projects. South Australia got $646m. Qld $1.249bn, plus $20m, NSW $2.209bn, Vic $3.24bn. In the national interest can this be explained? Queensland twice as much, New South Wales four times as much, Victoria five times as much. Perth, Western Australia has been trying to catch up to the cities of Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, yet its too difficult to do that when the Federal Government won’t give the attention & fair equitable support to major projects that will help Perth.

(Source: www.aph.gov.au/...business/.../house_of_representatives 351KB file.) In quick summary: The Building Australia Fund. “$7.6bn. 11 Strategic Investments in Australia.” South Australia $294m, plus $291m. New South Wales –Sydney $91m, $1.5bn, $618m. Victoria $3.2bn, $40m. Queensland $365m Gold Coast Rapid Transit, $884m Ipswich Motorway. WA –Oakajee Port $339m. Northern Territory $50m Darwin Port.

Additional/ Public Transit 3 projects: South Australia $61m Adelaide bus lane, Queensland $20m rail study, Western Australia $236m Northbridge Rail link –sink rail lines, create urban redevelopment.

Oakajee Port has not yet commenced construction so the funding remains waiting for private sector involvement. Some analysts have said the wait could last two decades. I have no idea if the 14 projects listed above were completed on budget, under-budget, or over-budget. Therefore what was the real cost of the BAF 2010 program?

In regards to ship building, the Western Australian companies, based at Australian Marine Complex in Henderson are highly rated and viable. Yet they are often overlooked for Commonwealth ship building contracts due to (WA) being expected to secure overseas contracts. While billion dollar Commonwealth contracts continue to be spent propping up uncompetitive shipyards in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. Western Australia is taken for granted and expected to export.

9

Other Australian states typecast Western Australia as a rich mining state, so our industries are not allowed to gain prominence. WA is an ocean state, with great strategic placement to South Asia, and the Sub Continent. Our maritime industries are perfect for this environment, and profitable. Yet Western Australia is left to fend for itself. Where is the national level playing field? Western Australia still has not built a new stadium capable of hosting large outdoor international sporting events such as the Commonweath Games, and has still not built a rail line to the International Airport. The State has not been rich enough to get the basics done, contrast that to the other large four mainland capital cities. WA and Perth is still playing catch-up, and Federal MPs are not helping.

The Fake ‘previous Federal Government funds passenger rail’ argument. The Rudd, Gillard, and Rudd again Commonwealth Governments would not listen to the WA State Government (2008-2013). In 2012 the WA State Government announced two major public transport plans: $1.8bn for Light Rail Transit (Victoria Park –QE2 hospital sites, Perth CBD – Mirrabooka), and $1.9bn heavy rail line from Perth–Airport –Forrestfield. They asked the Commonwealth Government for public transit rail funds, because it is expensive to deliver rail projects. Particularly the tunnelling of heavy rail near Airports, which is federal land jurisdiction. The Gillard and Rudd Governments were not interested in fairly partnering in these vital public transport needs. Anyway in May 2013 (The election year), Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan pledges “$500m over ten years to assist delivering of public transit projects in Perth”. $50m annually is crap. Considering that is around 30% of the Airport rail line cost with a ten year wait. Meanwhile the WA State Government was paying for $221m northern rail extension to Butler, $80m Aubin Grove Station, buying new rail carriages, and building a new rail station. No surprise Federal Governments are not interested putting large dollar amounts to Perth public transit projects. Note: I do acknowledge the Gillard Federal Government were partners in starting the $1bn Gateway Road Project. Therefore I do not understand the criticism of the Abbot Federal Government, because they made it clear that the State Governments were to fund passenger rail, while the Federal Government funds road and freight rail. By contrast to former Treasurer Swan, the new Commonwealth Government has fully funded Northlink $894.34m, and supplied $925m for Perth Freight Link. That is a better deal for WA than under the previous Gillard, Rudd Federal Governments.

10

Roe Highway and Perth Freight Link, are more important than all other Perth/WA road transport projects.

(Note most of the projects below have/are using part Commonwealth monies.) It is more important than the (currently constructed) Gateway Project. It is more important than all of the recent Mitchell Freeway extensions (1995 onwards), including the recent started $315m Mitchell Freeway 6km extension to Hester Avenue Clarkson. It is more important then Reid Highway upgrades (1995 onwards). It is more important than the proposed 3 bridges, and Perth–Darwin Highway Stage 1. Known as Northlink. I definitely believe more trucks will be using Roe 8 than Stage 1 of Perth–Darwin Highway. There is a heck of a lot of delivery vehicles, emergency services vehicles, petrol tankers, etc travelling across the southern suburbs every day. Why are they being de-prioritised behind a recently spoke of north-eastern/less patronized section of Tonkin Highway? They were only planning that in the `90s while we waited for the detailed pre-planned Roe. It has been a painful wait, that still continues. It is the Number One road Transport need in the Perth metro area.

Fremantle Bridges. Yes the PFL does not currently include works on the two river bridges. Yet WA transport agencies have been planning bridgeworks for years, and in 2014, 2015/currently are working on PFL connections over the river bridge/s. I fully expect the in the next year onwards for finalised bridge plans, and Commonwealth funding. and Stirling Bridge are vital to capital city Perth and Western Australia. You can argue they are the most important bridges in the metro area. They certainly carry their weight in economic value. They are more important than the , bridges, , and . Fremantle Traffic Bridge is eroding the embankment, and the timber structure continues to deteriorate. It has been known for decades it needs to be replaced, and scenarios have been planned. While Stirling Bridge was built 3 decades ago with future upgrades in mind. WA State transport engineers and agencies have known this for decades. If the anti-federal funding self interest groups, and self interested Senate MPs succeed in this inquiry, then nothing occurs on the Fremantle bridges in the near future, Fremantle Traffic Bridge will deteriorate, and Stirling Bridge won’t get expanded. That equates to further safety issues for motorists, congestion, and delays for the Fremantle area river crossings, Port, and regional road network. It is fundamentally unsafe for PFL critics to advocate for zero upgrades on these two Fremantle bridges. Road trauma risks become higher, citizens will die. Current PFL funding is the first step to improving the river crossings.

11

Western Australian transport planners are working through designs & options for Fremantle/Port river crossings. It might turn out Fremantle Traffic Bridge will be demolished and not rebuilt, with Stirling Traffic Bridge carrying new capacity over two decks. It might turn out Stirling Traffic Bridge is not expanded, with a new concrete Fremantle Traffic Bridge rebuilt to carry increased road & rail capacity over two decks. The certainty of progressive Commonwealth funding helps these planners and the State. Without PFL federal funding, these plans would be delayed for many more years, resulting in heavy congestion and unsafe transport conditions.

The previous Coalition Federal Government had indicated in 2006, 2007 that the next step after funding the Roe Hwy stages would have been federal funding for upgrading the Fremantle river bridges. Yet here we are in 2015, nothing has happened, yet the new Commonwealth Government is retrying, and self-interested critics are trying to stall the overdue projects again.

Plus extra public transit rail, and freight rail can be planned into these upgraded river crossings.

Recent 2015 media talk of a Kwinana outer harbour is merely a distraction. Fremantle Port will remain as a working port well into the future. WA State Labor Government ~2006, 2007 released plans of a massive container port in the Cockburn Sound, including a man-made island. WA State Transport, Planning & Infrastructure minister Allanah MacTiernan tried selling this idea to take all of Fremantle’s containers and close the port. Yet the plans were rejected by nearby local governments and the public because of the environmental damage it would do to the ocean, sea-grass. Therefore the recent 2015 media talk of new Outer Harbour is not credible, and not serious. It is merely a distraction. Fremantle is a working port, and will remain into the future.

The ex and 2004 WA State Labor Government Plans. As I understood it, WA Planning Commission recommended FEB not be built on the basis of Roe 8 not being built and a 6 Point Plan be fully implemented. They did not recommend the land be rezoned before solutions were implemented and proven. The WA State Labor Government and State Labor Party conveniently forgot their ‘6 point plan’ from 2007 onwards, they rarely mention it, and certainly didn’t complete it. Where is the upgrade of Hampton Road Fremantle? That was part of the proposed ‘north –south’ solution. Plus they (2004, 2005) talked of upgrading Anketell Road in Kwinana. They didn’t, and haven’t advocated it while they are in State Opposition.

12

In 2004, I always believed that the Badgerys Creek site in Western Sydney should remain reserved for a second major airport. I thought Prime Minister Howard was wrong when he said he thought the demand could be absorbed by larger aircraft at Sydney Airport. Fortunately for Mr Howard he did not delete the reservation, as the Federal Opposition Labor Party planned to, and in 2014 the new Federal Coalition Government announced the build of a 2nd Sydney Airport. That was in the nation’s interest, and the Commonwealth Government is committed to funding parts of the road & rail access to that site. Therefore the protest arguments against upgrading Fremantle river crossings/bridges is stupid. The WA State Government has reserved adjoining land holdings for years. Upgrades are needed for current and future vehicle levels.

Stirling Highway. Perth Freight Link will connect to Stirling Hwy North Fremantle. Since 1955 Stirling Highway rebuild plans were proposed. Since 1963 Stirling Hwy road reservation has been in place. The road will be widened and upgraded in the future, therefore can effectively function with being the main link to PFL. WA State Planning Minister Mr John Day has estimated this will occur in around 17 years. Though I believe, the North Fremantle section could be rebuilt sooner because of river bridgework occurring sooner. Critics need to acknowledge Stirling Hwy will be upgraded. For sixty years the State Government has worked towards it. Critics need to realise that traffic originates from the north and south of Stirling Hwy each day. From Perth CBD in the north, while a lot of the south metro traffic has originated on Roe Highway east of the Kwinana Fwy. Therefore they have already been travelling a while and do not deserve further delays in their journeys in time & at the expense of safety. Also parts of the southern traffic terminate at Fremantle Port, or the beaches. The majority of Roe Hwy traffic is destined for Fremantle or the Port. Do not assume they continue northward up Stirling Hwy.

PFL will deliver transport solutions. Inaction on this missing corridor (Roe/Kwinana Fwy to Fremantle river bridges) is unreasonable and dangerous for the city, communities, citizens, and businesses.

The Prime Minister Tony Abbot has said he wants to be known as the Infrastructure Prime minister. This is exactly the sort of project he is interested in. He has said he wants to fund “Nationally significant infrastructure that our cities and our regional areas need”. This project meets his criteria, and should be progressed by Infrastructure Australia.

13

Yet politically motivated Western Australian representative opposition Federal MPs in the senate are harming Western Australia by interfering with PFL unnecessarily. They are not acting “for WA”, yet they claim they are in the Senate for WA. Are they scrutinising all other major infrastructure projects, particularly east coast projects? –including roads, motorways, and freeways. Are they trying to dump their funding?

Some supporters of this inquiry believe that dis-allowing Commonwealth funding will stall/delay Roe Stage 8. Yet the inquiry members need to realise once PFL Stage 1 is built, those protestors will disappear. Other PFL critics are all part of the problem in the Fremantle area. They are private vehicle owners. The irony is they contribute to the problem.

Environmental real issues. To construct Fremantle Port, the river was dredged, dynamited, and environmentally degraded. To put it bluntly, the last 100 years has wrecked the immediate ocean/river area that is Fremantle Port. You can’t undo that damage to the coastline and ocean. Therefore it is common sense to continue using this site as a Port forever. Why create much larger ocean floor destruction several kilometres south in the Cockburn Sound? It is environmentally better to keep Fremantle as the main Perth Port.

I must ask why Federal Greens MPs are not focussing on the real environmental concerns in WA, such as protecting Barrow Island, Burrup Pennisula indigenous rock art, salinity, feral animals, and stopping the cane toad progression. Those are the problems that deserve scrutiny and effort.

Are Senate Inquiry negative members wanting Personal attention? All the negative senators, including Federal Labor representatives, are doing is adding cost to the WA State Government, and adding more time to the project completion.

Are they saying that completed Roe Hwy stages need not have been built? That these stages did not deserve funding? That for example, the residential suburbs of Wattle Grove, Beckenham, Langford, and Parkwood should have been allowed to ask for the nearby Roe road reserve to be deleted and additional parkland replace it?

With the price of iron ore and steel at low levels, this is the best time to start construction on PFL. The construction costs are lower now if the building materials can be ordered now. WA also has extra spare construction workers around in 2015 due to the reduced mining construction.

14

In summary.

Perth Freight Link is desperately needed by Perth and WA. Additionally it needs to progress toward upgrading the river crossings. Transport safety is the biggest beneficiary of this investment. The current road trauma risks in the vicinity are unacceptable. It is worth every single cent.

Thankyou.

15