House of Assembly: Thursday, July 02, 2015

Contents

Road Network Charge

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): Supplementary: can the Treasurer confirm then if any of the scoping study has been concluded, if that work has been concluded and provided to the government?

The SPEAKER: Minister for Transport.

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) (14:41): I don't know if this is an ABBA film clip, sir, that we're filming here where she's asking the Treasurer a question and looking at me. Would you like me to answer this, or the Treasurer?

The SPEAKER: I was just looking for a minister to answer it. Anyone may rise.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call to order the member for Kavel, who has caused that outbreak of disorder.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: as ministers often point out, any minister can answer the question and speak on behalf cabinet. Can one of them please have a go?

The SPEAKER: That was probably a bogus point of order, but I will overlook it on this occasion. Minister for Transport.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Nonetheless, I'm happy to oblige, Mr Speaker. As I was saying in my previous answer, despite the interjections of the deputy leader when she said that that's not correct, it is indeed correct. There was a press release issued by her on 7 January 2014 when she said those exact same things, that she believed, she personally believed, that the introduction of tolls on heavy vehicles was something that would inevitably lead to the imposition of tolls on all vehicles in South Australia and that the South Australian Liberal Party would never support this in South Australia. Yet, 130 days later she snuck out a little article into The Advertiser saying that they have reversed their position and they now support a toll.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: if, as the minister says, a road network charge is not a toll then why is the minister only talking about tolls?

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader will withdraw for the next half an hour for that impromptu speech under the guise of a point of order.

The honourable member for Bragg having withdrawn from the chamber:

Mr Gardner: It could have been a supplementary.

The SPEAKER: It could have been a supplementary, as the member for Morialta interjects, if it were expressed to be a supplementary, but it didn't seem to be interrogative to me, it seemed to be a statement. Opposition?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: On my list it is the member for Goyder.