SOUTH ROAD UPGRADES

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): Is the state government planning to tender for the construction of the South Road underpass announced yesterday, review the tenders, select a preferred bidder and sign a contract with them all before the federal government goes into caretaker mode in less than three months' time?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:34): I don't know where you got that idea that we would do all of this, have a design and construction process and sign contracts before the caretaker period. This project will take a number of years. We will make sure that we deliver the project on time and on budget and I expect that, as the project is rolled out, the project will be delivered in a timely manner according to DPTI's procedures.

I think what you are really saying is: if we sign the contracts before the caretaker period, you will not have the opportunity to cancel the project if you are elected in March, which is what you are really concerned about. Given—I think we have just belled the cat—that if they are elected they are going to cancel the project like Dr Southcott announced yesterday—

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir!

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: The member for Stuart was first.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The minister is clearly debating the issue—standing order 98, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: No, actually, I don't think he is. I think it was actually the substance of the question. The substance of the question was: is the state government going to do a series of procedures which would lock in the South Road project before the federal election?

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order. If it is his question, I make a point of order; if it is your question, I object to it. What I actually said, sir, I am happy to repeat for your benefit: is the state government planning to tender for the construction of the South Road underpass announced yesterday, review the tenders, select a preferred bidder and sign a contract with them, all before the federal government goes into caretaker mode in less than three months?

The SPEAKER: Yes.

Ms CHAPMAN: There is no suggestion about obligations in respect of the contract, sir—not in this question at all.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: She's just asking, sir. It has nothing to do with one of her colleagues yesterday saying they would scrap the project.

The SPEAKER: What is the point of order?

Ms CHAPMAN: The minister stood up to attempt to answer the question and, in his response, just before the previous point of order was made, he then said, 'Ah, no, but what the member is really asking is XYZ.' Now, we ask the questions, sir, as you appreciate, and the minister was posing a new question—what he claimed the position was—and then proceeded to answer it. I take that point of order.

The SPEAKER: The minister's reformulation of the question has no influence on my judgement of what is relevant. Minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: There are, I suppose, four parties in this. There is the commonwealth government, the commonwealth opposition, the state government and the state opposition. Of those four organisations, three have declared their hand. The commonwealth opposition has said that if they are elected, they will scrap the project. The commonwealth government is committing to the project. The state government is committing to the project. The only person who is silent on this is the Leader of the Opposition. Yesterday his colleague, Dr Southcott, member for Boothby, said on radio—

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I've asked a question about the process and taken a point of order; I made a very clear question in respect of the process. If in fact—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Pay attention. Feeling better? Feeling better, when you ran away yesterday?

The SPEAKER: I call the Minister for Transport to order.

Ms CHAPMAN: Thank you, sir. I have asked a very specific question in relation to the process, the tendering and the contract. The minister is now going into debate about what other entities, for which he is not responsible, are claiming to do and I ask you to call him to order.

The SPEAKER: The requirement is that ministers answer the substance of the question and I will be listening to the minister carefully.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Given that the South Road upgrade along Port Road, Grange Road and the Outer Harbor line has become politicised because the commonwealth opposition has said, if elected, they will scrap the project, it then begs the question: given that we would need to sign contracts—which I think is what the deputy leader is saying—will we sign contracts before the caretaker provision that locks in a future commonwealth government after the upcoming federal election to the project?

I suppose it is fair for me to surmise from that question, given that the opposition is the only party not to have declared their hand on this, not to have said whether they support the project or do not support the project, that they are looking to scrap this project. I think it is fair for the government to say that and pose that question to the opposition: do you support the upgrade of South Road along—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Well, okay—given that we are less than a year out from the election, the alternative premier of South Australia will not tell the people of the western suburbs whether or not he supports the upgrade of Port Road, Grange Road and Outer Harbor. What a disgraceful position and a cowardly position to hold!

The SPEAKER: Has the minister finished?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir.

Ms CHAPMAN: Supplementary, sir.

The SPEAKER: Is it supplementary to the question or the answer?