Well on thing that won't be missed is the Transport Minister wasn't available to go on air on the Country Hour today 23/November 2021. She sent us all in a message about Tier 3 Rail
Also on a different issue another Minister wasn't available, sent in a message.
Send a message you cannot be questioned or held to a decent standard.
Also on a different issue another minister Stephen Dawson wouldn't go on the programme
This means the minister cannot even have his/her message taken to task.
Now with Tier 3, the Transport Minister's message followed critical comments from coalition MP Steve Thomas MLC where she said (and I'm paraphrasing closely).
Its pretty rich of Steve Thomas asking for it to be rebuilt as it was his party that shut down Tier 3 rail.
Well irony is, it's pretty rich Minister Saffiotti. It was your party that was fighting to keep it open year a ago. One might say...
Its pretty rich of Rita Saffiotti doing nothing as it was he party that wanted it protected...until now
If your mob wanted it then, Steve's mob want it now...MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW.
Interesting also I was in a meeting with the then minister Murray Criddle, opposition spokesperson Alannah McTiernan (who was vigorously trying to keep it open) who is now Agriculture Minister and kinda a bit silent on the whole thing.
Now a decision supporting or opposing something should never Theatre Bollocks which include "bit rich consider when you were in power you did x, y, z..."
Do what's best, stick to facts & data.
Now forget all Tier 3, just rebuild the line from Quairding to York. That then connects 2 large CBH Strategic Bins & gets between 250,000 & 300,000 tonnes annually off the road.
Meanwhile MetroNet, often called MetroDebt is looking at further cost blow outs and in 2017 the Labor MPs said the $2.5 Billion costings would not increase.
Ummm...how's that going?
Well Tier 3 isn't getting a cent & the current cost of MetroNet is still cost billions and you can't use it at all yet after all these years. As for the 10,000+ jobs, not sure it that was reached
Solution, build it between Quairading & York, join the 2 CBH Strategic Bins and you will have to rebuild it. There's about 4 sections where the number of wagons has to be restricted because the bend curves suit much shorter length wagons and the new ones...
Well at one stage it was 12 wagons only & 10km/h speed or they literally just topple of the tracks.
So it's got to be rebuilt, the bridge over the Avon River has to be replaced. Call it 60 kilometres at a million per kilometre. $60Million spent and you take 250-300,000 tonnes of grain off th road every year. Multiply that with a minimum 30-40 year life span. For a cost of $60 Million plus maintenance...
Rita? Y'there Rita?
David Templeman
The list gets a good bit longer when you include WA Labor MPs who retired at the last election.
Why did they not revert & reinvest each they took power? Not on their Agenda?
How many times have they won government since it was privatised? Four times.
Alannah McTiernan was one of the loudest fighters for retention of Tier 3 Rail during it's approaching demise. I sat in meeting in Northam with her, 3 Pastoralist & Grazier Association members, 2 rail employees, 2 farmers & Murray Criddle.
Everything Alannnah & other Labor MPs ever said only lasted as valid until the finished as opposition MPs. Why?
Very likely they were on the campaign trail & doing what oppositions are supposed to do, find a fault and fight against it. Once the election was won it would have cost the Government an obscene amount of money to get out of the privatised deal, it would have cost money to upgrade the rail network above & beyond the operators input. Why spend money on the regions you don't really care about?
Leave it dead & spend the money elsewhere where it can consolidate WA Labor?
Well we'll wait n see...
Late Note -
Tier 3 isn't a big part of the network and often misunderstood. I think it's well under 1000kms.
Also check out the Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance where the map below came from. Save Grain On Rail – Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance
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