RITA SAFFIOTI, WA MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT: Thank you very much. It's a great pleasure to be here to mark another milestone on this project, the Tonkin Gap Project, together with the Morley-Ellenbrook rail line. On Wednesday, the traffic will be shifted on to this new Broun Avenue Bridge. So this bridge together, with the bus interchange, is over 60 metres wide. I'm advised it's wider than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. So, what we've got is four lanes of traffic that we'll be opening up on Wednesday. Of course, then work will now commence to complete the full interchange, which will be on the other part of this bridge. That interchange will take 12 bus stands and will be the key link to the new Morley station that is being built below us. Below us, we've got the new Morley station, and we've also got a new multi-level car park that is also on its way. This is part of the significant infrastructure program. This is part of delivering the Metronet program. And of course the Tonkin Gap Project. Many who traveled the Tonkin Highway realise that there's a lot of work that's happening through this area. We're widening the road, we've built new bridges, there's new pedestrian overpasses, there's new pedestrian underpasses and of course, the project includes works to facilitate the Morley-Ellenbrook line. Another exciting milestone, another part of delivering a record infrastructure program, one that is delivering thousands of jobs, but also will change the way that people in this area commute. This new bus interchange will link in to the Morley Galleria. It will link in to both sides and what we'll see for the first time, those suburbs behind us - Beechboro, Lockridge, Kiara - having great access to a new trailer train line, and a train line that will take 15 minutes to get into the city. So another key milestone, very pleased that this project is so near completion. And just to put it into context, the existing bridge was removed in April last year. So this team has done an incredible job to get this work to this stage. I'll now throw to Patrick and I will take other questions for the day.
PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Wider than the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but I think as the Member for Perth, I've got to say a much more exciting place to be and, as the Minister just outlined, a much more exciting future here, when it comes to what Metronet is going to deliver both in that community amenity but also in terms of helping people be able to get easier into the city, revitalising our city and also connecting that long-promised line that the Minister has driven and is making happen and this is proof that it is happening and it's just around the corner for the Ellenbrook Line. Rita, you've done a phenomenal job. Huge credit to your team. Thanks to all the workers who've made this project possible. And equally, it has been and is always a challenge when you got these big projects happening. Thanks to the community for being so understanding. They're about to get the benefit of this fantastic new piece of infrastructure. And that's good news for everyone. I will now throw over to Dave Kelly, the Member for Bassendean.
DAVE KELLY, STATE MEMBER FOR BASSENDEAN: Good morning, everybody. As the Minister's outlined, this new bridge and the associated Morley-Ellenbrook train line will for the first time give really tremendous access for suburbs like Lockridge, Kiara, Beechboro. People in those suburbs will be able to get onto the train line quickly and be either into the city quickly or they'll be able to go out to Ellenbrook in a way that's never been possible before. The Ellenbrook train line has really been one of the missing links in our public transport infrastructure. And as the Member for Bassendean, I'm just so pleased that suburbs like Beechboro, Kiara, Lockridge, they'll all have first-class access to our public transport system for the first time. I want to congratulate the Premier and the Minister for the commitment they've got to this project. And also want to thank the Federal Government. Patrick Gorman has been a great advocate for this project, as well. Thank you very much.
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REPORTER: Will you be lobbying the Federal Government to keep the GST deal in place that we currently have?
GORMAN: The Federal Government's very clear that the deal that was put in place stays, the reviews that happen from time to time are part of the normal processes of making sure that the GST delivers on its objectives. And I note that the review that was in the media this morning from the Treasurer is about making sure that states are better off under whichever system should exist. So, I think in that sense, this is actually about making sure that the Western Australian deal, which guarantees that fair share, finally, which I have been advocating for from the day I entered Parliament stays, and we make sure that we do the things that were part of the agreement between former Prime Minister Morrison and the WA State Government.
REPORTER: And do you have any concerns about the AUKUS deal harming WA's trading relationship with China?
GORMAN: Western Australia's trade relationships rely upon the international rules-based order which Australia seeks to advocate for in international forums and indeed, in our defense activity. The AUKUS deal is about a huge uplift in Australia's sovereign defense capability, and our ability to do what every Australian, whether they be a West Australian, or in any other state or territory wants which is to fill the capability gap that will exist once the Collins class submarines exit their lifetime of service. So this will be a deal that is good for all Australians, including Western Australians in the short, medium and long term, both in terms of the international rules-based order in which we underpin our trade relationships. And of course, you know, Australia's ability to defend this nation, support our defense forces and make sure that we can continue to advocate for the things which are important to us as an island nation that has, as you mentioned, a big, long-standing and strong alliance on international trade. Thank you.