North West Metro Link

Ms ANGELA D'AMORE: My question is addressed to the Deputy Premier, Minister for Transport, and Minister for Finance. Will the Minister update the House on the progress of the Iemma Government's commitment to deliver the North West Metro?

The SPEAKER: Order! The House will come to order.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: The Iemma Government is committed to getting on with the job of providing improved transport services for the people of New South Wales. We are undertaking the biggest transport infrastructure program in Australia's history.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Terrigal will cease interjecting.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: The North West Metro is the first major transport initiative unveiled under the Sydney Link program. Our Euro-style metro railway to the north-west will be the anchor point for future rapid, ultra-modern, single-deck railways in Australia's only global city.

The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Coffs Harbour to order.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: The planning and design phase of this important project is already well underway. The Minister for Planning has now declared Sydney's $12 billion North West Metro rail line critical infrastructure under the New South Wales planning regime. This means that the high-speed, European-style metro rail service will be expedited through the planning process. The declaration will help ensure the project will be delivered on time, with trains running between Epping and the Hills centre in 2015 and from Rouse Hill to the city by 2017. This project will deliver rail to the north-west and parts of inner-west Sydney for the first time. This is the first step in making sure construction starts in 2010. The declaration of the project as being critical infrastructure will guarantee that that starts in 2010.

The project is essential to the future of New South Wales for economic, social and environmental reasons. It will allow the continued economic growth of the State, deliver safe and reliable public transport to that part of Sydney and improve air quality throughout the Sydney region. Sydney's population is set to grow by more than a million people by 2031 and we need to put in place the infrastructure to cope with that. The benefits of the North West Metro will flow beyond the commuters using the line. It will greatly reduce congestion on our CityRail network. This critical infrastructure declaration therefore marks an important point in the definition, the planning and the design of the metro rail line. We are about to move into the next phase of the important project—that is, consultation with industry. There is a huge amount of expertise and experience out there that we will tap into now and throughout the life of this project. We are conducting a forum next week to give major contractors and suppliers an overview of the project and an outline of our plans to consult and engage with them through the life of this important project.

The North West Metro is the largest single transport infrastructure project ever undertaken in Australia—it is as large as that—and it is attracting a great deal of interest both at home and internationally. Early industry consultation will ensure that interest is captured across all industries that will be involved in this massive project. The forum is expected to attract widespread industry attention from organisations capable of entering into contracts, including those involving operations and safety, construction, rolling stock and rail systems, and procurement packaging. But, Mr Speaker, I hear you ask, "Whilst all of this is going on, what is the Opposition doing?" The answer is, "Very little", because it does not have a transport plan, does it?

The SPEAKER: Order! A number of members have interjected today. Their behaviour is out of order. I have called a number of members to order. I will not tolerate further interjections. I call the member for Epping to order for the third time. If he interjects again, I will have him removed from the Chamber. I remind members that interjections are disorderly at all times.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: The member for Epping had better watch out. The Opposition went to the last election without a transport policy—we all remember that—and without anything being costed. People may remember that when the member for Willoughby, who was the Opposition transport spokeswoman, was asked, "Why aren't there any costings?" she said, "It is hard to do the costings." That was the excuse: It is hard to do the costings. Therefore, they were not done.

The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Willoughby to order for the third time.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: It's an oldie but a goodie, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Order! I remind the member for Willoughby that she is on three calls to order. I will not tolerate further interjections.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: And we will never forget that non-Speedo defining moment of the campaign. It was at 4.00 p.m. on the Thursday before the election when a very shaky member for Ku-ring-gai walked into a press conference and pulled out, "But, sir, my photocopier has broken" as the excuse for not providing costings. While this Government is spending record amounts on transport projects—second only to health—the Opposition's sole policy announcement is to shuffle chairs in transport bureaucracy. It is hardly surprising that the Opposition does not have a policy in this area because the Leader of the Opposition does not know how to catch a train. Members may have read an article in this morning's Daily Telegraph in which the Leader of the Opposition was asked about his views on electricity reform. He said that he was not quite sure whether to get on board. In fact, he tried to explain his inaction and terrible indecision and inability to state a position by comparing it to catching a train home.

Mr Chris Hartcher: Point of order: The question asked about the Metro railway line; it did not ask about electricity privatisation.

The SPEAKER: Order! Government members will cease interjecting. I remind the Deputy Premier of the question before the House.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: In this morning's Daily Telegraph the Leader of the Opposition was talking about trains. He is the one who started it. Let me quote what he had to say about trains—

Mr Andrew Fraser: Point of order: Mr Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Order! I have just ruled on a point of order. The Deputy Premier has only just recommenced his answer. What is the member's point of order?

Mr Andrew Fraser: As you quite rightly said—

The SPEAKER: What is the member's point of order?

Mr Andrew Fraser: The Deputy Premier is canvassing your ruling.

The SPEAKER: Order! I am listening carefully to the Minister's answer. The member for Coffs Harbour will resume his seat.

Mr JOHN WATKINS: Mr Speaker, I respect you too much to canvass your rulings. This morning the Daily Telegraph quoted the Leader of the Opposition as saying:

I could make an in-principle decision to take the train home this evening, but unless I know which way the train is going, it may not be worth my while.

Does that speak loudest about the Leader of the Opposition's ability to have electricity reform or his understanding of transport? For the record, the Leader of the Opposition lives on the North Shore. If he is going home he should take the North Shore line. Nine stops into his journey he will be in his electorate. He should get off the train, go up the stairs and go home. If that information is not good enough, he should ring the transport information line on 131500 and ask for help or I will provide him with a timetable. With a little bit of research he will get the answer he wants. Opposition members cannot make a decision about transport and they cannot make a decision about electricity. That is the nature of the mob opposite. They are unable to come to a conclusion about any of the important things that the people of this State really care about. We have plans for the North West Metro, and it is coming. It is critical infrastructure. Construction will commence in 2010 and it will be finished by 2017. It will be a new era in public transport for the people of our great city.