Public Transport Authority—Commuter payment options
441. Mr Hugh Jones to the Minister for Transport:
I refer the minister to last week's announcement regarding the rollout of SmartRider upgrades.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the progress of the announcement?
(2) Is the minister aware of any recent conversions to the public transport cause?
Ms Rita Saffioti replied:
(1)–(2) I thank the member for Darling Range for that question. We are rolling out affordable, accessible and efficient public transport, and one of the key projects has been the SmartRider upgrade and the ability, very soon, to pay for your public transport service with your credit card, phone or smartwatch. I know that people are very excited by this.
We are undertaking a trial, and that trial has commenced with choosing 50 people to ride the ferry service from South Perth to Elizabeth Quay, trialling their phones or credit cards. That trial is underway at the moment. Should we go through that trial successfully, we will move on to the wider bus and train network and will select 150 regular public transport passengers to undertake that trial. Just for reference, Transperth staff are also currently using the new technology.
This is part of the public transport transformation. It is about making sure that we have the best technology. It is also about having the most affordable fares, and that is why we not only dropped fares to a two-zone fare cap, but also will drop the price to a one-zone fare cap from 1 January.
As members know, the Liberal Party has been against public transport. It has been against Metronet. As we know, both the Nationals WA and Liberal Party are against Metronet, and we know that because they have been screaming about it every day. If I just mention the word "Metronet", the member for Cottesloe starts yelling, even though she was a big supporter of it a few months back. The Leader of the National Party, the party that had dedicated anti-Metronet stickers on their cars, claimed that no-one was living along the Ellenbrook line corridor. He said that there were cow paddocks where, in fact, tens of thousands of people live.
The Leader of the Opposition has probably been the chief attacker of Metronet. Like the six opposition leaders before him, he has been attacking Metronet every day, saying that we should not be doing it and writing letters to us that say, "Stop building rail lines and rail stations, minister." He actually wrote a letter that said to stop building the rail lines and rail stations.
I was interested to see a post by the current federal Liberal member for Canning, Andrew Hastie, who was out and about with the Leader of the Opposition. They are besties! Do members know where he was? Members might be surprised, but he was at a train station! The Leader of the Opposition, who believes that we should not be delivering Metronet train stations, did a video at a Metronet train station. "Both-ways Baz" is at it again, members. This is the transcript of that video. The federal member for Canning, Andrew Hastie, said, "Now, Baz, I love trains." The Leader of the Opposition said, "Here it is. Here it is," and the federal member for Canning said, "Exactly. We're at Lakelands train station." Andrew Hastie then said, "This is a game changer for these people!"
We have a Leader of the Opposition who said that we were spending too much on Metronet. "They got another budget dominated by a single obsession—Metronet", said the Leader of the Opposition. Then, at the Lakelands train station, there he is, just chatting to some of the locals who say this is great. The Leader of the Opposition, the commentator who is on mute, has said that a Metronet station is great. He goes even further: he is not satisfied with just what we are delivering on Metronet; he wants more! The Leader of the Opposition who said that we are spending too much on Metronet and it is too much of our position now says that we need more Metronet. What does he stand for? The Leader of the Opposition, who criticised Metronet every day, then goes to a Metronet train station, Lakelands, and says that he has been talking to locals and they love it. Who knew that people like affordable, accessible and efficient public transport? Who knew that? Now he is saying that we should be building more public transport.
Leader of the Opposition, are you committed to the new Karnup train station?
Several members interjected.
Ms Rita Saffioti: Come on! Look at that. Leader of the Opposition, I am over here! Hello!
The Speaker: Members! Minister, we have a point of order. Can you please be seated?
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter: I think we let the Deputy Premier continue with her performance, but she should wrap up her answer to the question.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members, when you have finished—I will not uphold that point of order, member for Central Wheatbelt. Minister, if you could conclude your comments, please.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Rita Saffioti: Sure. I was just trying to get an understanding of where the Leader of the Opposition stands on Metronet today. It is not easy to understand because a few days ago he was all for Metronet, but a few weeks ago he was anti-Metronet. He was sending us letters saying, "Stop building rail lines now." Member for Darling Range, the Leader of the Opposition wants us to down tools and stop building the Byford rail line. This is it. We cannot believe any word he says. Every day, he has a different position. He will say anything to anyone. He is the full-time commentator who stands for nothing, except rejecting anything we ever put forward.
I am glad that he supports the Lakelands train station. I think he is committing to a new train station; I saw that in an interview. I am glad he is on board and that the Liberal Party has committed to another Metronet project.
