WA State Election 2025: Labor pledges $107m for new ferries and two ferry stops at Applecross and UWA   

PerthNow
January 6, 2025


Roger Cook has fired the starter’s gun for the WA election on Sunday, announcing he’ll spend $107 million on a new public transport ferry plan for the Swan River if re-elected in March.

Mr Cook says he hopes “Metronet on the Swan” will be the start of a new era for Perth where ferries will join buses, trains and cars to become a major part of the city’s transport system.

In what is Labor’s first election commitment ahead of the March 8 poll, five new electric ferries will be built and in service by 2027.

And two new ferry stops will be built — at Applecross, near the Raffles, and near the University of Western Australia at Matilda Bay.

It means university students can jump on a ferry at Applecross and be at UWA in just 10 minutes, rather than facing heavy traffic on the freeway.

But it won’t be just students who will benefit from the new services.

The new ferry stops at Applecross and Matilda Bay will be linked to existing ferry stops at Elizabeth Quay and South Perth.

In what is Labor’s first election commitment ahead of the March 8 poll, five new electric ferries would be built in WA.

Services would operate every 20 minutes.

“Our ferry plan means an activated riverfront, shorter commute times, better connected communities, and quality local jobs in manufacturing,” Mr Cook said.

“For decades Western Australians have wanted to see our iconic Swan River better utilised. This is the investment our growing city needs.

“Whether you’re a uni student, someone who works in the city, a tourist or just a local exploring the city, Metronet on the Swan will change the way we see and use the river.”

There are to be two new ferry stops at Applecross, near the Raffles, and near UWA at Matilda Bay.

The State election is nine weeks away, but Labor has decided to fire the starter’s gun from Sunday with a transport commitment.

Labor’s slogan for this campaign is: “Roger Cook and WA Labor, doing what’s right for WA.”

Labor is expected to make several election commitments in the lead-up to the election, with welfare groups asking for more cost-of-living relief.

On Saturday, WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam put law and order on the 2025 election agenda, reaffirming her commitment to introduce workplace protection orders, if elected, that would give business owners and employees better avenues to keep troublemakers out of their premises.

Services would operate every 20 minutes.

Under her plan, employers could apply to courts to keep thugs away from businesses, rather than individual employees having to go to police to get violence restraining orders against repeat troublemakers.

Mr Cook first flagged Metronet on the Swan early last year, with $2m allocated at the May State Budget for planning for the service expansion.

The State Government has already launched an expression of interest process for local shipbuilders.   

This is the first time the Government has put a figure on what it would cost to deliver its ferry vision.

It’s expected that in future years, further ferry stops would be located at the Causeway Bridge precinct, Burswood Park, Optus Stadium and Claisebrook Cove.

“Imagine a 10-minute ferry ride from the Raffles to UWA — it’ll be a game changer for the suburbs along the river and provide a new way for tourists to travel to the beautiful Matilda Bay area, supporting small businesses and the local economy,” Mr Cook said.

“Just like our new Metronet trains, these electric ferries will be built right here in WA, supporting local manufacturing and helping our State become a shipbuilding hub.”   

And what about parking for the commuters. There is nothing there in South Perth.

The best thing about Perth is Sydney

John Smith wrote on Jan 8^th, 2025 at 4:49pm:


Im not at all sure about the timeline so I know you will correct me if I’m wrong!

Didn’t the original premier  of this state resign after his personal treaty experiment and subsequently went to work for a x liberal federal treasurer?

If that’s correct I speculate the Lnp might win back a “ couple “ of seats?

Regardless I expect the good people of WA will choose correctly and continue to work hard to prop up the rest of the country 😝

John Smith wrote on Jan 8^th, 2025 at 4:49pm:



Kick Labor out  - they're all Marxists.

Bobby. wrote on Jan 9^th, 2025 at 7:57am:


An idiot speaks, rather, driblles nonsense.

Gnads wrote on Jan 9^th, 2025 at 8:11am:


They'd be mad not to - not that I expect much better from their opponents, just different ways of making life difficult for the average person.

For example - after years of virulent vitriol, PhilPerth has still not acceded to the billions that his adherence to labor should give... mothra is still part-time casual low order flunkey without real prospects and no riches on the horizon .... The Great Revolution seems to have passed them by and left them filled with righteous anger and still in Housovile/Boganville - a place where you need to make peace with your local Aborigines instead of just living your own quiet life in peace...

All their limpet like adherence to Labor policy brain farts about Abos, queers, and losers of all kinds seem to have done nothing real for them in any way.... just their opportunity to be used as useful fools while the Overlords of the New Feudalism reign supreme and they themselves remain in near poverty.  That goes a long way towards explaining their anger.

Let me know when you start living in the 'everyone equal' paradise, losers ...............

**I read a thing about the 'Karen' today - the author said that these were middle-aged women who had done all the right things by the rules etc (like the oldest brother in Legends Of the Fall) and had seen that it was all a con job, and rule breakers gathered riches and comfort with apparent ease ....  kind of your mothra and Phil in ten years - why am I not receiving the rewards for all my heroic efforts for the downtrodden and dispossessed?  Because they never will ...... you're insulting and abusing others for the love - not for the rewards.... get used to it.

lee wrote on Jan 10^th, 2025 at 1:14pm:


What do they have to promise?  Haven't heard a word about them .... has the media canceled them or something?  Are they going to overturn all the ridiculous land grabs etc?  Re-establish equality and banish Apartheid?  Are they going to accept The Grappler Scheme and give each Aboriginal family a block of land to own outright and build on, while retaining 'genuine native title rights' to wander and camp on public lands etc without grabbing for it all and without hindering access of all others to public lands and national parks etc?

It's not a hard thing to actually think through, you know... and being gifted a block is far more than anyone else ever gets for free.... and it's an introduction to the 18th Century .. a good start on the way to the 21st, ya reckon?  How many years does it take?
No more royalties.... no more land grabs and endless demands for total control over national icons and such ... I was struck by a discussion of Katherine in those lecture videos by that lady - of how the local Tribers owned the river boating and the helicopter flighting etc - are they the pilots?  HTF did they get those without a government handing it to them?

Where's my tourism business for free and fully supported?