Parliamentary Questions

(1) During the past week, has a phone poll on Roe Highway stage 8 been conducted by AECOM as consultant to the state government?

(2) Is a phone poll about to be conducted?

(3) Will the minister, at the earliest opportunity, table the questions being asked?

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied:

I do not believe that any notice was given of this question—was there?

Hon Lynn MacLaren: It was without notice.

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: Okay.

(1)-(3) The group that is associated with AECOM—South Metro Connect—will conduct a range of consultations with the community, including phone surveys, surveys through other media, some community meetings, and a lot of consultation with people affected by proposals for the extension of Roe Highway in the south metropolitan area. Unlike what happened under the previous government, this government will listen to input from the community. In respect of the question about whether a phone poll had or will be conducted by AECOM, I do not specifically know whether that happened yesterday or whatever the time was in the member’s question. If the member needs to know a specific time, she can approach me afterwards and I can provide the answer informally through my office. In respect of tabling information obtained from those sources —

Hon Lynn MacLaren: Just the questions, minister.

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN: This is what happens when I do not have the full question in front of me. As I understand it, the proposition as advanced by the member is for the survey questions to be provided. If the member wants me to table them, I can table them in due course. What is more, I also look forward to sharing the results obtained from the survey and the other information-gathering methods. As my good friend Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich knows, we are an open and accountable government that can be relied upon to do such things.