The Liberal Party WA is doubling down on its fight to build Roe 8 and 9, announcing it would revive the project and issue tender documents within its first 100 days in office.
The Liberal Party WA is doubling down on its fight to build Roe 8 and 9, announcing this morning that it would revive and fast-track the controversial project by issuing tender documents within its first 100 days in office, if elected.
Since at least 2008, Liberal Party has been spearheading the proposed extension of Roe Highway to Fremantle in a bid to remove more than 80,000 cars and trucks from local roads and create up to 10,000 jobs.
The project was scrapped when the Labor took office in 2017 amid significant community opposition to its construction over concerns it would affect the Beeliar Wetlands.
During a press conference this morning, opposition leader Zak Kirkup reiterated the sentiments of his predecessor, Liza Harvey, and the commitment he made in December last year, promising to revive the project if the party were to form government.
But today, he announced that the party would issue tender documents for the road’s construction within his first 100 days in office.
Mr Kirkup said the project was shovel-ready, with $1.2 billion worth of federal government funding sitting in a contingency fund, and would address critical missing links in Perth’s long-planned highway system.
He also criticised the state government for attempting to introduce legislation to remove the road reserve and prevent its construction.
“The Liberals are backing Roe 8 and 9 and we’re fighting hard to make sure that it is delivered because it makes sense and the community wants it,” Mr Kirkup said.
“Roe 8 and 9 will remove more than 70,000 cars off our roads and up to 7,000 tracks, make our local roads safer and help people get home sooner.
“But Labor is hellbent on making sure that, if they were to obtain total control, they would get rid of Roe 8 and 9 forever.
“They’re just ideologically against it.
“Our commitment is that we would issue tender documents within the first 100 days in office.
“This is a shovel-ready project and the money is sitting there in a contingency fund.”
Deputy opposition leader and transport spokesperson Libby Mettam said the party was doubling down on its fight for the project, one she said had the potential to provide significant benefits for those in the southern suburbs, the transport sector and the state’s small businesses.
