Shadow METRONET Minister, Tjorn Sibma, has called on the McGowan Government to be more transparent with the timeline of Western Australia’s most expensive infrastructure project, METRONET.
“WA taxpayers are footing the bill for the most over-budget project ever delivered in Western Australia, so it is not unreasonable to ask for a full project schedule to be made available.
“The only reason not to do so is to provide a full project schedule is to avoid accountability.”
Mr Sibma said the first step towards transparency was to advise the WA taxpayers when the long-awaited Forrestfield Airport Link would commence operations.
“Why is it such a big secret when the Government plans to open the $1.9 billion Airport Rail line?
“Already running two years late, people wonder how late into ‘the first half of 2022’ the opening will occur.
“The Caledonian Avenue level crossing has now been permanently closed for three weeks, raising community expectations that the Airport Line would commence operations soon after – but there is still no word.
“Considering the recent announcement of the planned closure of Midland Line from the September School holidays, it is more than a little strange that we know when the Airport Link will be closed – before we know when services on the line will even begin!,” Mr Sibma said.
While the METRONET budget has grown to over $7.5 billion, the Transport Minister is becoming increasingly secretive about the project delivery milestones, and when key decisions are made.
Mr Sibma said that he was certain that the Transport Minister already knows when the Forrestfield-Airport Link can start services and that the announcement should be made immediately and not be delayed by political calculations concerning the state budget and Federal Election.