SOUTH ROAD UPGRADES

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the minister update the house on how works along South Road will roll out as part of the Torrens project?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:28): I thank the honourable member for her question. Following the announcement of the $896 million Torrens to Torrens/South Road upgrade in last night's budget, this state government is keen to see action now for the people of South Australia. I am advised by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure that the preliminary works, including noise attenuation for the neighbourhoods and service relocation, will begin very soon.

Over coming months the state government will particularly focus on ensuring that residents are kept informed on what is happening with the project. Approximately 60 of the 140 properties necessary for the project to proceed have already been acquired; however, property owners within the project will be advised this week if their properties are required for the project and given advice on the process by DPTI. If their property is required for the project we will work through that with them.

During the next phase of the project we are seeking community input into aspects of the concept. Mr Speaker, community engagement in your constituency will begin in early July. Community reference groups will be established to focus on specific issues in the detailed design, and community open days will be held for people to meet with the project team and discuss any issues with them. I am advised that yesterday the project team doorknocked every residential property that would be required and either met with residents or, if they were not home, left a letter and information about the project.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, some of you should try it. The team has now started making appointments to meet individually with owners to talk them through the process for acquisition. I am advised that the businesses that would need to be acquired or relocated were called yesterday. The majority discussed the project with the team, and those who were not available will be called by the end of this week.

Letters will also be sent to business owners this week as a follow-up, as well as property owners, if applicable. I am advised that the residents of Day Terrace and Euston Terrace adjacent to the Outer Harbor rail line were also left with letters and brochures. Meetings are being arranged with the City of West Torrens, the City of Charles Sturt and the City of Port Adelaide-Enfield to occur in the next two weeks to brief them on the details of this project.

Over the next weeks, community reference groups will be established for the project in general and the Queen Street precinct specifically. A site office is currently being prepared for a project team to be established on South Road at the intersection with Torrens Road which will also be used for the community to drop in and find out anything about this project. This office will be ready by mid-June.

Community open days will be held at the site office in July. A project assessment report will be released at the time of the community open days and will provide the next level of detail about the project. After the community days and later in the year, a comprehensive project report will be released that will include the issues raised by the community and any modification that will need to be made to the project in response to those issues.

In the meantime, the project team is progressing with early works that will include a detailed survey and further, more detailed geotechnical investigations in design and relocation of some services and utilities. The project team has started the process of identifying tenants who can be relocated as soon as possible, and some demolition will occur in the very near future.

Neighbours of those properties will also be well informed about what is happening, when and where. The government is committed to delivering this project for the South Australian people in an efficient, compassionate and consultative manner. It is a pity that the federal member for Boothby and the state Leader of the Opposition are committed to cancelling this much-needed project if they are elected.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I think the deputy leader is correct. The last remarks of the Minister for Transport were debate, and I rebuke him for it.