CAR PARKING LEVY

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): My question is to the premier. Can the premier explain what impact Labor's new CBD car park tax will have on business, and will it increase their payroll tax liabilities and WorkCover levies?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:32): I thank the honourable member for his question. The car parking levy is not an unusual proposition in national terms. There are many CBDs that have car parking levies; indeed, I think we are probably the last CBD that hasn't, apart from Hobart, perhaps. So it is a common feature of the taxation arrangements in relation to CBDs; it hasn't caused the concerns that the honourable member complains about in those jurisdictions.

All of the revenue raised is directed at transport infrastructure. Unlike the remarks that the Leader of the Opposition made on radio when he was criticising this levy just before Christmas, the particular park-and-ride facilities that it is going to fund are not in the forward estimates but have been put in there as a consequence of this measure, so it is new infrastructure that is going in, as identified in the mid-year budget review in a range of ways.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen is warned for the first time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: What, of course, that will do is allow consumers, customers—commuters—to take their cars into the park-and-ride, park there and use the public transport facilities into the city which, of course, is exactly what we want. It will lead to a less congested city. It will, of course, reduce car journeys, which is good for the environment and, indeed, the air quality generally of our city.

The SPEAKER: Point of order from the member for Heysen.

Mrs REDMOND: It is on relevance, Mr Speaker, because the question was specifically about the impact of this car parking levy on businesses. So far the Premier has gone nowhere near that particular topic. He is justifying the car parking levy.

The SPEAKER: No; that will be quite enough. The Premier might segue back towards the impact on business.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The impact on business, in our submission, will be positive. What we are doing is creating a more attractive city, which in turn will renew to the benefit of the businesses in the city. Remember, this is the same government that has opened up shop trading hours in relation to the city and opened up the planning regimes in relation to the city. There are many benefits that have been conferred on city businesses as a consequence of the actions of this government. We have, I think, the highest number of car parks of any capital city in the nation per capita. I think it's a—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Premier, would you be seated for a minute. I call the member for Adelaide to order. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: We have a very high number of car parks in our city as a consequence of, obviously, the fairly permissive regimes we have in relation to taxation. This is a good public policy measure to encourage public transport, to improve the amenity in our city. I understand, though, that when pressed on this and asked whether they would remove such a levy they said—shrieks of silence.