❓ Mr Scaife asks about the government's commitment to infrastructure and recent milestones. Ms Saffioti highlights the Fremantle Traffic Bridge replacement, criticising the opposition's past actions and current criticisms, while praising community feedback.

Fremantle Traffic Bridge71.Mr David Scaifeto the Minister for Transport:I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to delivering quality infrastructure and improving Western Australia's road network.(1) Can the minister advise the house on how the government is delivering on this commitment?(2) Can the minister update the house on any recent milestones on key infrastructure projects?

Ms Rita Saffioti replied:(1)–(2) I thank the member for that question. Of course, we have a record infrastructure program around the state. In particular, we have recently delivered the commencement of the replacement of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge. This bridge is over 90 years old. Work on the new Fremantle Traffic Bridge is well underway,and anyone who has been past it recently will have seen the amount of work that has already beenundertaken. The beams have been delivered and the cable stays are in place, and we have ripped out the asphalt and the concrete and are now working on that timber. The bridge was well past its use-by date. In fact, the Fremantle Traffic Bridge has a very chequered history. I am not sure whether anyone remembers the previous attempt by the Liberal Party to replace the bridge—the on-again off-again commitment to the bridge. It committed funding to replace the Fremantle Traffic Bridge and then ripped it out. I do not know whether anyone remembers that history. Some members remember, but it has one of the most sordid histories of infrastructure in this state. We are there, delivering this incredible piece of infrastructure.Of course, there will always be those who say, "You shouldn't do it. You're doing it wrong. We know better", and this is a classic case. Again, the opposition is out there saying that what we are doing is wrong and is not good enough. We outlined the range of initiatives that would be put in place to handle the traffic and the disruption that was going to happen with the closure of the existing traffic bridge. There are over 20 road modifications, more trains and buses, new signage and work on a free transit zone, and people are able to take their bikes on the train between Fremantle and North Fremantle stations.All of that work is underway and what do we have from the opposition? I have a flip chart of misery, members. It is a flip chart of the opposition, including the member for Cottesloe, who were out there saying that were not doing enough while we were doing all this work trying to prepare it. Hon Steve Martin from the upper house said we are not doing enough. He said it would be chaos, but he never ever wants to comprehend all the work that we are doing. Of course, Hon Dr Brad Pettitt's contribution is my favourite because every time he took a photo, behind him were works, witches hats, message signs and cranes—all these changes—and the member said that we were not doing anything to prepare for the closure of the traffic bridge. The flip chart of misery shows that the opposition again tried to create fear out there in the community and ignored everything that was actually happening and said we were not doing anything. The feedback from the community has been quite different, with comments such as, "Fantastic this morning. We expected that it would be really built up but it's turned out very well." Hon Dr Brad Pettitt said, "I'm really pleased we haven't seen the carmageddon that we feared for so long." It was the carmageddon that he was trying to create!As we know, there is always disruption. I thank the community for its patience. Of course, there is disruption and there are some time delays, but I give a big thankyou to the community and all those who have worked with us to deliver this incredible project. It is progressing really well. It is another piece of infrastructure to serve generations to come. Fremantle Traffic Bridge