House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Rail Electrification Project RAIL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT Mrs REDMOND House of Assembly Heysen Leader of the Opposition RAIL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): My question is again to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Of the $293 million that the state government was to receive from the commonwealth for the upgrading and electrification of the Gawler line how much, if any, will it have to repay because the state government has indefinitely suspended the project? If there is any repayment to be made, when is that to happen? The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly Elder Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Minister for Housing and Urban Development RAIL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:18): Perhaps I was not clear enough before. My understanding is that there remains about $30 million to $35 million unspent. I do not know in whose account that sits, but obviously the commonwealth would not want us to keep it if we were not spending it; I think that would be a reasonable proposition. I do not think we have it. We are having discussions with the commonwealth about those matters and I expect a happy conclusion. An honourable member interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The interjection was that the money spent was going to waste. That's simply not true. The Leader of the Opposition can run around telling those stories but they are not true. It is not true; the infrastructure— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: We will keep those discussions going, but I can say that the commonwealth understands what has happened in the national economy. Mrs Redmond interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Now the Leader of the Opposition says that no, it is this state's economy. Apparently we are the only state that experienced this massive collapse in GST revenues. I've got to tell you, I think the Treasurer had better get on a plane. It does— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —not help, Madam Speaker, for the opposition simply to make up stories. It is not true that the infrastructure was wasted, it is— Mrs Redmond interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Oh goodness me, we've certainly got the worst opposition, I can say that. Anyway, I have said enough; it's very clear.