Main South Road

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the minister advise the house when funding will be allocated for the design and upgrade of Main South Road between Myponga and Yankalilla?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:46): It's great to have another question from a regional Liberal MP about another funding commitment we have made to the road network across South Australia. Not only in his particular patch of Kangaroo Island have we continued the commitment to allocate an extra $2 million a year to upgrade roads across Kangaroo Island, but of course it comes on top of the $9 million that we kicked in for the upgrade of the Kangaroo Island Airport. But, as I understood the member for Finniss's question—

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order: the question was relating to Main South Road, not to Kangaroo Island.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully to the minister. Minister.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: In fact, it was only last week—some seven days ago—that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, in his capacity as the member for Mawson, and I were meeting with members of the community to talk about exactly that project: a $305 million upgrade of Main South Road. It's welcome because, of course, over the last 10 years there has been an enormous amount of work that has been done on the road that runs through what is now an overpass for McLaren Vale heading down towards the Victor Harbor and Goolwa region. That work in that part of the Fleurieu Peninsula was necessary because there had been a disturbingly high level of casualty crashes including fatalities over that period.

As we rolled out overtaking lane after overtaking lane while that road is not quite duplicated, we were getting increasing amounts of population growth south of Seaford and there was a clamour, particularly around those communities of Aldinga and Sellicks, saying, 'When are we getting better road infrastructure?' We know that the warrant for duplication for that road was getting close if not indeed exceeded.

That's why it's terrific that on top of the $900-odd million on the extension of the Noarlunga and the electrification of that line out to Seaford, and the $400 million on the duplication of the Southern Expressway, another $300 million for the duplication of Main South Road in this part of the state has been strongly welcomed by members of that community, especially in light of them seeing the hitherto mentioned $620 million upgrade of the Darlington section of South Road—$2 billion of transport upgrades for the southern suburbs and outer areas.

Mr Whetstone: Thank you to the federal government.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The member for Chaffey, who likes making references to silver spoons while perhaps not being adept at using cutlery himself, says, 'Thanks to the federal government.' How much money did the federal government put into the duplication of the Southern Expressway? How much? Not one cent. This state Labor government funded the whole thing.

The SPEAKER: The minister will not respond to interjections.