Labor would turn quay into a pond: Barnett PERTH'S new $440 million dollar riverside development would become an inner-city "pond" if a Labor government was elected, says WA Premier Colin Barnett. Ahead of the televised election debate on Tuesday night, WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said, if elected, he would explore renegotiating contracts on the Elizabeth Quay project, which has been under construction for 12 months. Further roadworks on the project caused more congestion on Perth roads this week and Mr McGowan claimed the city's traffic was now in chaos. But Mr Barnett defended the project, named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, saying work was well advanced and he had no intention of changing contracts. "Elizabeth Quay is well into construction, a $200 million contract has been awarded, and work continues," Mr Barnett said. The whole idea is opening up the river and the city together so having a wide expanse of water. If you left Riverside Drive what you would have is a pond in the city. Not much point. Last week, an urban think-tank described the quay project as fundamentally flawed and said it would provide "no net economic benefit to the public." Having already vowed to dump or alter several of WA's major projects, including the new Burswood stadium, Mr McGowan said he was setting out his priorities to the voters. "It's a strong message to send to the people of WA that Elizabeth Quay is not my priority and closing Riverside Drive is not my priority and putting increased costs on nurses and other hospital workers for parking are not my priorities," Mr McGowan said.