SOUTH ROAD UPGRADES

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Why did the minister claim that the government's South Road Torrens to Torrens upgrade project would have a 'construction period...between two to three years' when federal funding is not finalised for six years?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:42): I read the member for Bragg's press release where she said that the minister said it would take two to three years. The part of the quote she didn't include in her press release was the part immediately afterwards where I said, 'It could take a bit longer. It's a very complicated piece of engineering work.'

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Well, that's right. Yes, because the member for Bragg obviously knows better than all road traffic engineers and construction engineers.

Mr PISONI: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The minister is obviously entering debate, referring to the member for Bragg.

The SPEAKER: Since the question is from the member for Bragg, I am not surprised that he is referring to the member for Bragg, but I shall listen to the Minister for Transport to see if he strays into debate.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: This is a very complicated piece of engineering. I listened with interest to the musings of certain members who say that they are sick and tired of politicians who make decisions about infrastructure and then in the same breath claim that they know how best to construct road projects. The reality is—

Mr PISONI: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport will be seated. If the point of order is going to be debate, the answer is no, and you are within a whisker of being warned a second time. Minister for Transport.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We are going to consult. We are going to formalise and finalise engineering and design. We are going to go out to tender. We are going to begin a process that is going to make sure that we deliver this project on budget. It is a very complicated piece of work, so we have to relocate a substation, we have to grade separate a rail line, we have to undertake relocation of people from their homes along South Road. We have to deal with one of the busiest intersections in South Australia, the Port Road-South Road intersection.

Obviously, it is a very complicated piece of work. We can begin work very quickly on other pieces of infrastructure like the Torrens Road intersection, which I am advised can begin work later this year to make sure that we get that intersection completed quickly, and of course we can start work at the Torrens River end near Ashwin Parade in Torrensville and get that intersection started by moving services to improve that intersection. I think that taking comments out of context and trying to make a political argument out of them helps no-one. I will leave it with this one point: we still, to this day, do not know what is the opposition's view on any piece of road infrastructure in South Australia—with less than a year to the election.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, the opposition's view is not relevant.