South Road Upgrades

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the minister inform the house about the latest developments of the South Australian government’s Torrens to Torrens project?

The SPEAKER: The speaker is particularly interested in this answer and it will be heard in silence. Minister.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:43): Thank you, Mr Speaker, I know you have a very keen interest in this project. Today the government released the Torrens to Torrens project assessment report which includes the latest project design. Mr Speaker, as you in particular would be aware, this is a very significant project, particularly for the local areas involved. The project assessment report is an extensive body of work that outlines the crucial economic benefits that this major project will have for South Australia through reduced travel times, particularly for freight.

The $896 million Torrens to Torrens project has a cost-benefit ratio of 2.4:1, which of course means that the project delivers very significant value for money and benefits to the state. The report also summarises the environmental, social, economic and engineering assessments that have been undertaken by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.

Since the release of the initial concept design back in May 2013, the department has been very busy consulting with the local community through the project's community liaison groups, as well as undertaking further design, engineering and economic investigations. There are a number of significant modifications that have been made to the initial design following community consultation and further detailed investigations.

An important modification to the original design has been the reduction in the length of the planned rail overpass for the Outer Harbor passenger rail line. As I am sure you are well aware, Mr Speaker, there were significant community concerns about the effect that the original design would have on the aesthetics and the amenity of the Queen Street precinct in the Croydon area.

This original design would have also meant extensive disruptions to commuters on the Outer Harbor line during the construction period. The government has listened to these concerns and through further engineering investigations has been able to shorten this overpass to reduce the impact on this area and reduce the construction period for this part of the project, in turn reducing the impact on commuters.

Other modifications include: altering the alignment of the north and southbound surface roads to be on either side of the lowered road, improved pedestrian and cycling facilities, improved traffic management for local roads such as Hurtle Street, as well as being able to bypass the Croydon electrical substation, which will substantially reduce the project's construction time frame.

Members of the public, community and industry organisations, as well as local government, will be able to access the project assessment report and provide further feedback to the department. Submissions will be accepted until the close of business Monday 11 August 2014.

Overall, there is substantial interest in this project, as there is with the $620 million Darlington upgrade. Just last week I attended the government's industry briefing for these two projects. The briefing was attended by approximately 250 representatives from industry, including planners, engineers and contractors. The briefing outlined the scope of the projects and the likely work packages available to tenderers across both projects, and the government's commitment to local participation and employment outcomes. The government's tendering processes will include assessment weighting of up to 10 per cent for respondents with local industry participation plans, and we also require employment targets to be delivered.

This approach was successful with the Southern Expressway duplication project, which is very much nearing completion, employing close to 90 per cent South Australians and approximately 56 per cent of workers from the southern suburbs. I look forward to continuing to update the house as these two significant projects on our north-south corridor develop.