INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:08): My question is also to the Premier. Will the Premier update the house on the new investments the government is making to build infrastructure in South Australia and how this investment is supporting South Australian jobs?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:08): Partly for the reasons that are promoted by the Leader of the Opposition in what I anticipate to be a series of questions where he talks about those sectors of the economy which are doing it hardest, we need to make sure that we maintain our public investments in other areas of the economy to sustain job growth. That is what a responsible government does: it responds by making sensible public investments, and that is what we have been doing, such as the duplication of the Southern Expressway—

Mr Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Morialta to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —a toll-free $407 million investment putting behind us the embarrassing one-way expressway which was bequeathed to us by the Liberal Party.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Waite to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: From the onset of the global financial crisis the government has maintained a strong commitment to infrastructure investment. We worked hard to protect jobs and growth during the largest economic downturn since the Great Depression. It seems to be forgotten by many people, but that is what we were facing, and that required a response. The investment in key infrastructure has and will continue to deliver significantly improved hospitals, schools, roads, water, entertainment, tourism and leisure facilities for this state. These investments will benefit South Australians for generations.

Crucially, these investments have also supported up to 12,000 jobs each year in the economy and have contributed up to 3 per cent of gross state product. The state government will invest $10.1 billion over the next four years for important infrastructure programs. These projects will support 8,700 jobs in 2013-14 alone. Our $10.1 billion investment over the next four years includes works underway but also new projects built in partnership with the commonwealth, like:

the $896 million upgrade to South Road between the Torrens Road intersection and the River Torrens, which includes the sinking of a $1.4 kilometre road below the surface, as well as the construction of two new grade-separated interchanges and a passenger rail line overpass;

the construction of an electrical substation and the electrification of the Gawler line to Dry Creek at a cost of $152 million, as the first step to restart the electrification of the Gawler line;

$63 million for the duplication of part of the Tonsley rail line to provide for increased services, including the rebuilding of Clovelly Park and Tonsley railway stations, which will include new—

The Hon. C.C. Fox interjecting:

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

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —park-and-ride facilities and a bus exchange;

$56.1 million over the forward estimates towards a $106 million upgrade of the road into the APY lands;

$3.2 million for something that I know those opposite have been calling for for some time: the reconfiguration of the Britannia roundabout—no need to thank us too quickly.

This year, funding allocation will enable work to be concluded on other projects, like the South Road Superway, the new overtaking lanes—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Adelaide to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —rest areas and other safety works on the Dukes Highway, and the Noarlunga to Seaford rail extension that will open later this year. We are also providing stimulus to the housing construction sector, because we want to sustain jobs in this sector.

Mr Marshall: They love you!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: They do, actually. Our Affordable Housing Stimulus Package: $38.7 million to extend the Housing Construction Grant, $30 million in social housing investment and $20 million as a capital grant program for community housing investment. In total, all of these initiatives will mean construction will start on more than 930 homes in the next 18 months—a total of $220 million investment and supporting 2,400 jobs. To ensure that South Australia achieves the economic benefit from our investments, we are also ensuring that we fund the Industry Participation Advocate to make sure that South Australians get their fair share of these contracts.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: apart from repetition, it is also out of time.

The SPEAKER: On this occasion the deputy leader is absolutely correct. The leader.