NOARLUNGA RAIL LINE

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (15:11): My question is to the Minister for Transport. That was quite a good speech last night, Patrick. Will the minister apologise to the mayor and the council members of the City of Onkaparinga for his comments made on Thursday 25 October 2007 in response to a question on extending the Noarlunga rail line to Seaford? In a letter to the minister the Mayor of the City of Onkaparinga said:

Your attack on me and the views I have expressed, which are those of the elected Council, discredits my Council and this is unacceptable. I therefore seek an apology on behalf of Council.

The mayor continued:

You have attempted to blame the Council—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Dr McFETRIDGE: The mayor continued:

You have attempted to blame the Council for the delays in the feasibility study for the proposed rail extension. This is most unfair and is factually incorrect.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy) (15:12): From memory, I think what I said was that we were not dealing with a political cleanskin and that she was the former Liberal member for Kaurna. I also said that we held up the feasibility study because the council, not once but twice, came back with alternatives—all absolutely true. I will go further and tell you—just so that we understand who is playing games here—that last week at the request of the council we agreed to meet on the subject of another idea about the route for a possible rail extension. But at the eleventh hour that meeting was cancelled by the council.

Dr McFetridge: You moved the time then.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Yes; he says I moved the time. If you remember last week, it is a parliament and we do have to work around it. Here is how I moved the time.

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Just listen. You know what he was out telling people before question time today? That the union was in the Industrial Commission because of my comments about a driver—another complete invention. The media knows; they heard your invention.

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: The fabricator.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Here is what happened. My office spoke to the council and said, 'Can we hold the meeting after question time instead of before?' My PA was put on hold. The council went away, came back and said yes. Then, just before the meeting, the council cancelled. If they had told us they could not make it at that time, we could have accommodated it, because I do not like games being played.

If you think I should complete the feasibility study without looking at the alternatives that are argued, can you please say that now? Just please say it now. Do you think I should shut it down and say, 'I'm not looking,' because I will do that for you if that is what you reckon? I am not looking at any more options from the council. Is that what you want?

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: No, you won't say anything, will you? Because once again—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Lorraine will stop voting Labor.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Yes. Lorraine wants an apology. Well I am sorry, she is not going to get one because I am fed up with the games that are being played. It is absolutely clear that they wanted to come and talk—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —to us about an alternative. We agreed to it and then they did not turn up. It is also absolutely clear that Lorraine Rosenberg used to be a Liberal member of parliament. I am not certain whether she wants to run again. Maybe she could clear that up. Maybe she could clear up whether she wants to run again but, until such time, I will keep telling the truth and Duncan McFetridge can keep doing what he does best.