Shadow METRONET Minister, Tjorn Sibma, has called for greater transparency across the $10 billion METRONET project, after confusion from the Attorney General revealed the Yanchep Extension will face further delays.
“Reports today that the Yanchep Extension will now not commence services until 2024 demonstrate the need for the Government to improve its transparency across the $10 billion METRONET project.
“When the local Member, and Cabinet Minister, John Quigley, thinks the line won’t open until 2024, there is clearly a failure of transparency even within executive Government.
“I’m certainly not surprised if he’s simply confused again, but this time it is with good reason – the lack of transparency across the METRONET program of works means the clear expectation amongst Minister Saffioti’s colleagues is the project will be further delayed.
“If the Government had implemented the Auditor General’s recommendation for regular reporting on the METRONET project to Parliament and the public, then confusion about opening dates would not occur.”
Mr Sibma said that rather than implementing the Auditor General’s recommendation, Minister Saffioti had doubled down in secrecy, choosing only to inform the public of milestones when it suits her.
“Question after question in Parliament is not answered by the Minister for Transport” Mr Sibma said.
“Contracts are awarded, contracts are cancelled, costs are ever increasing, and the Minister avoids the most basic scrutiny with generalised statements in answer to important questions the WA public deserve to know the answer to.”
Mr Sibma said that Western Australians would understand, particularly in the current market, that projects must be delayed, however there is no excuse for hiding when important project milestones were forecast to be delivered.
“WA Taxpayers don’t appreciate being treated like mugs, and that is exactly how Minister Saffioti appears to see them.”
