TRAM TRAINS

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (15:09): My question is to the Minister for Transport. Is the government scrapping plans to buy tram trains?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy) (15:09): Can I say on this: the member for Morphett has a lot to say about public transport, as does his leader. I listened to the debate today that says—

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: No, just wait. I know it may well be your final days, but, apparently, you are glued on, so you may be rewarded at least for loyalty.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Tina? Does this mean something to you? It is an acronym, I assume. The Leader of the Opposition—

The Hon. J.D. Hill: There is no alternative.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: There is no alternative—in his speech today said that we promised tram extensions last year, but they disappeared from the budget this year. We announced a 10 year program last year. The tram extensions, which he claims disappeared this year, were not in the out years last year or this year because they are estimated to have—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: We have given them all the questions in the hope that they will allow Vickie just one. I think they had about 16 before, but Vickie still can't get on the list. Given that I have never had a quiet question time from her before, I assume there is a reason for it. There has been no change in the timetable whatever for those tram extensions. We support them, and they—

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I am going to come to that in a moment. There is no change at all in those timetables, despite the untruths stated in this place by the member for Morphett and the Leader of the Opposition, but that is what we have come to expect from them. There is no—

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: He says that is not right. I have to say that, when you come into this place and say that the government promised them last year and dropped them from the budget this year, you are not telling the truth. There has been only one change in the timetabling since the introduction of the 10 year plan, and that was the additional investment from the commonwealth that has allowed us to add the Seaford extension—and I point out to the Leader of the Opposition that it is not an extension to Seaforth, which is in Western Australia, but to Seaford—and the acceleration of the Gawler electrification. So, the only change has been acceleration in the program, despite the untruths that are told.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: With regard to the rolling stock, can I say that this bloke has a track record, too. On our recent tram purchase from Spain, he was—

Dr McFetridge: And you paid the wrong price.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: We paid the wrong price, he said. They don't like it, do they? The price he said we should have paid for the Spanish trams was $4.8 million.

Dr McFetridge: No; I didn't.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Well, it was in the story.

Dr McFetridge: No; I didn't.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: So, what should we have paid?

Dr McFetridge: 3.4.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: 3.4! Of course, somebody bought new ones for $4.6 million, but we should have paid 3.4. For the benefit of the story, the price we actually paid was 4.6, so we could have paid 4.8, but we don't think it would have been a good idea. We could have got them to take 4.8, but we thought 4.6—

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: What—they are just two year old trams? You just make it up as you go along. One of them did two weeks. They all have new tram warranties; the rest of them were in the shed.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Can I say that there are two things I hope for this coming Saturday. One I am sure of: they will keep the current bloke, and I think he deserves some loyalty. I hope they keep the member for Morphett. I want him forever. We will be purchasing the greatest purchase—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Dr McFetridge: Have a cup of tea and a lie-down.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The member for Morphett suggests that I need a cup of tea and a lie-down because I am apparently so—

An honourable member: Is that a proposition?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: If that is a proposition, it's not the best one I've had. The member for Morphett has invented more stories about tram—

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Why would that be, Duncan?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The member for Morphett has invented more stories about trams than Scheherazade managed in a thousand nights. The difference—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Why do I upset them so much? I have tried to be nice to them today. Let's face it: what you could do to them today if you wished! Is this a dagger I see before me—again? Out, damned spots! What we could do to you if we wanted to, so just try to be nice. I have not seen a clash of giants like this since 'Duelling Banjos'.

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: The rumble in the jungle!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Thriller in Manila; Dumb and Dumber do the numbers. In about 2012-13 we will be buying the biggest purchase of rolling stock in the state's history—electrified rolling stock for a totally upgraded system. There have been changes to that, because we have to buy more. Why do we have to buy more? Because the federal government gave us more money, including for an extension to Seaford.

We will buy what is the best available rolling stock at that time for the purpose. The current belief in the department is that the best way to address the issues of the Outer Harbor electrification is with tram trains. I point out that there will be tram lines on that extension, and there will be trams running on it; there is no doubt about that. What we will be doing is buying the best rolling stock available in 2012-13 to suit our needs. If you have a different approach—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: If you believe there is a different approach we should take, I am happy to hear that. The current planning in the department, as I understand it, is for tram trains. I can say this: in 2012-13 we will unashamedly buy the best rolling stock that is then available to give the best return for the people of South Australia. What I guarantee you is this: when it is completed, there will be brand new rolling stock.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Some will be new, he says.

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Morphett!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Apparently, they have been two years sitting on a lot now; there you go. One of the trams sustained a two-week service; the rest did not; they have new tram warranties. I am not sure what more you could add. Do not forget that what this bloke told us we were going to buy was 30-year old Eastern Bloc trams. That was his first story. The member for Morphett has the credibility on trams that Mitch Williams has on leadership, or Marty on emails. Where is the member for Unley?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Venning interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Now we've got Ivan Venning telling me I'm dumb. Okay. Joe Scalzi used to tell me I was short—and Joe Scalzi is on his way back, which proves that the more things change in here, the more they stay the same. I look forward to being back here.

I urge the opposition not to waste the little green nameplates: just put some sticky paper on them for the time being—scrawl it on—because it will save a bit of dough. I don't think they're settled yet. I will stop indulging myself. I will say that we have been criticised for free travel: guilty. We have been criticised for buying new trams and trains: guilty. We have the greatest investment in public transport the state has ever seen. It will influence the shape of this city for decades to come. It is the most advanced program we have ever seen.

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Extend for half an hour and we'll hear from Vickie.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I cannot extend for half an hour because I have to go and renew my licence. I close by saying that, if a leadership challenge causes Vickie to be this quiet at question time, I think we should have one every week.