Rail Signal Failures

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (14:29): Given that another $12 million needs to be spent to fix the signalling system, when will it all be finished? When will it all be fixed? How much more needs to be spent? How unsafe will it be over the two years that that work is being done?

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) (14:29): There are a couple of different ways to answer that question. When will it all be finished?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader and the deputy leader will be leaving the house shortly under the sessional orders if they utter a word. Minister.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Perhaps in a holistic sense, it will be unfortunately some time until the entire upgrade of the rail network is achieved because, currently, we have a federal government that has made it clear to all states that they won't partner in public transport projects. States like South Australia, Victoria and the ACT—all states with significant rail improvement programs that have been promulgated and endorsed by the community, not by some political parties, but by the community—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is called to order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —will take longer to achieve—

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert is called to order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: In lieu of being able to roll out those broad improvements—the electrification of the remaining train lines—we have taken a decision in this most recent state budget to bring forward some investment to address those parts of the network that have not yet been upgraded—in particular, the sorts of equipment that is, unfortunately, from time to time, failing—so that we can minimise the risk of the sorts of outages and service interruptions and make sure we are doing our best to give commuters confidence in the public transport network.