Oaklands Park Rail Crossing

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (14:21): I appreciate the minister giving us figures, which we have been looking for for a while, of $200 million for the overpass, which is the first time that figure has been bandied around. Given that the pictures showed rail over road, is it still the intention of the government to put rail over road?

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) (14:21): I think there has been quite an amount of discussion both before and since the election about the Oaklands crossing, the study that was done, the solution which was proffered (which the member for Mitchell has just raised: a rail overpass over the road junction) and, of course, the cost. There has never been any secrecy or withholding of that information, either from the opposition or from the public, so I am interested to have that characterised as it has been by the member.

Mr Speaker, I was asked in late March or April of last year about what the government's approach to the Oaklands crossing was. I reiterated the points I made earlier about the fact that we had identified it as an issue in the transport network. We had identified that it needed attention. A study had been done, costings had been made, it had been factored into a 30-year transport plan to upgrade many of the transport needs of the South Australian community across the state, and also what the timeline was.

I also made reference in that interview that, if there were alternatives to alleviate the difficulties that motorists were having, particularly in the peak hour with navigating that intersection, we would be happy to consider them. But, until those alternatives are presented, and until they are worked through, our position is that we have factored it into our broader 30-year plan to improve transport infrastructure across South Australia.