SOUTHERN SUBURBS

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (15:25): This is only the second time since I have been a minister that I have used the grievance time; and I thank my colleagues for allowing me to do so. Last week the member for Finniss in a debate on the Southern Expressway made some comments about me and my role as Minister for the Southern Suburbs. I did not have a chance to participate in that debate because, ironically, while he was attacking me for not doing enough in relation to the southern suburbs, I was conducting a seminar in another part of this building for members of this house on the government's intentions to help workers at Mitsubishi. I had experts from various government departments there to brief members. I was properly doing my job as Minister for the Southern Suburbs while he was in here playing petty politics with the role of the Minister for the Southern Suburbs.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Members opposite will get their chance in a minute.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Madam Deputy Speaker, my time is being taken up by the member for Unley.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, member for Unley! I remind the member for Unley that I have liberty to extend the time of the speaker if he continues to interrupt.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is ironic that the matter before the house at the time the member for Finniss chose to attack me was the debate on the extension of the Southern Expressway—a project put in place by the former Liberal government as a one-way road; and then they criticise this government for not doubling the size of the road. I notice in the comments made by the honourable member that the Liberal Party did not make any commitment to doing such, if it was put into office. I do note from my colleague the Minister for Transport that to do so would cost something like $275 million.

Unlike the shadow minister for the southern suburbs (the member for Finniss) I actually live in the southern suburbs. I live at Seaford—the name of which members opposite fail to understand. In fact, the Leader of the Opposition referred to it as 'Seaforth' in a recent interview with the ABC. He is not aware that the name of the suburb is Seaford. I have lived at Seaford for 16 years. I agree with Peter Goers, who says that it is one of Adelaide's most beautiful suburbs, and I am very proud to be a Seaford resident.

Obviously, the opposition is trying to mount a campaign around the idea of the 'forgotten south'. It is a slogan that was used some 15 to 20 years ago. Unfortunately, the fact is that members opposite do not know where the south is. They do not live there and they do not know the names of the suburbs. The reality is that the south has forgotten them. Every single Liberal candidate for the south—state or federal—has been kicked out of office because they neglected the south when they had the chance.

The member for Finniss made one point which had some accuracy; that is, the people in the south are not getting as much information from me about the good work the government is doing as they should. I aim to remedy that situation, both in here and in the public arena in the south. Members will find out more and more about what we are doing in the south to make the south a better and happier place.

For the benefit of the house, let me say that since the ministry was established in 2002 unemployment in the south has fallen from 7.4 per cent in December 2001 to 4.7 per cent in September last year; and that is a greater rate of employment growth than the rest of Adelaide. Crime in the Onkaparinga council area has fallen—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Finniss, I remind you that you have been warned. I ask the table clerk to add 30 seconds to the minister's time.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Thank you very much for your protection, Madam Deputy Speaker. Crime in the Onkaparinga council area has fallen by 19.74 per cent and by 6.8 per cent in the Marion council area between 2002-03 and 2004-05. Some $21.9 million has been invested in new business as part of the Structural Adjustment Fund, creating 640 new direct jobs. Four new children's centres, at a cost of over $7.5 million, at Hackham West, Woodcroft, Marion and Christies Beach have been constructed.

In health, $153.7 million has been committed for the Flinders Medical Centre and $31 million for the Noarlunga Hospital for expansion. We have a GP Plus Health Care Centre at Aldinga, and another one is planned for Marion and another at Noarlunga. In transport, $115 million has been put aside for resleepering the Noarlunga and Belair railway lines, which will be of great advantage to people in the south. The Seaford railway extension report has been published, which is generally supportive, and that will create a corridor of land to take that railway line to Aldinga in the future.

There has been a huge focus on roads in the south—for example, a $16.8 million upgrade of Commercial Road, a $5 million upgrade of Black Road at Flagstaff Hill, and initiatives for a whole range of other roads have been put in place. There is $250,000 for the Noarlunga to Marino green cycle path; $15 million has been put aside for the Marion State Aquatic Centre, and there are a whole lot of other matters, which I will bring to the attention of the house at some future time.