BULK COMMODITIES PORT

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Why is the state government applying to Infrastructure Australia for funding to build a bulk commodities port on Eyre Peninsula when the minister for industry and trade has publicly stated that the state government has no intention of returning to the ports business?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (15:08): If I heard the question correctly, it was: why are we seeking funding for a bulk port facility when the Minister for Manufacturing has ruled out us building it ourselves.

Ms Chapman: No, going into the ports business.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Going into the port business? We would like the commonwealth to spend commonwealth funds in South Australia on a port. I would have thought that would assist us, in not having to provide the funds ourselves. I am struggling with the import of the question here.

Can I indicate to the member for Bragg that the commonwealth has, on occasions in the past, I believe in the interest of clearing bottlenecks, either made offers or has funded ports in other states. It is not my particular area of expertise, but I believe some funding was advanced for ports in Western Australia.

We believe that there is a bright future for the mining industry in South Australia. We believe that there will be a need for a bulk commodities port that we do not have at present and we have been doing work with Flinders Ports around Port Bonython. We have met, and so has the Premier, a number of potential Chinese investors including those investors who already have a memorandum of understanding around—it is not Sheep Hill anymore, it is called Port Spencer—all very wise. The notion that we should not ask the commonwealth for funds to accelerate or enhance such a thing seemed very strange to me.

The SPEAKER: Supplementary, member for Bragg.