Park-and-Ride Facilities

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:08): My question is to Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government. Can the minister update the house—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Reynell can leave for half an hour.

Mr Duluk interjecting:

The SPEAKER: And the member for Waite will be leaving shortly after—yes, you! The member for Reynell will leave for half an hour. Thank you.

The honourable member for Reynell having withdrawn from the chamber:

Ms LUETHEN: Can the minister update the house on the state government's increased funding for O-Bahn park-and-rides, including the Golden Grove park-and-ride, in the electorate of King?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (15:09): I would like to thank the member for King for that question and do note very much her hard work in this area in advocating on behalf of her community.

Whether it is Golden Grove Road, whether it is investigating the options in relation to extending the O-Bahn services to Golden Grove, we are investing and committing more into the north-east of South Australia and, more than that, actually delivering on our commitment of a Golden Grove park-and-ride as part of this budget. We committed $18½ million to deliver the park-and-ride that the Speaker so desperately has been badgering me for, as well as delivering a Golden Grove park-and-ride for the people of the member for King's community.

This is an extremely important measure because we know it is such a good and growing population. The O-Bahn services are such an integral part of our public transport network that getting more people to be able to park their car and use those services for getting into town does wonders for our traffic congestion, and it also does wonders for helping to incentivise people to use public transport. Those opposite did not think that the Golden Grove park-and-ride was a priority. They didn't think that the Paradise park-and-ride was a priority.

The SPEAKER: Outrageous!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: This government has made them a commitment, put the money on the table in the budget—$18½ million to add to the $15 million that was already in the budget to deliver these projects.

I have been excited by some of the early works and discussions that have been had in relation to these projects and in relation to the time line. I look forward to seeing the Golden Grove park-and-ride completed as soon as possible. In fact, the suggestions are it's going to be delivered sooner than we thought. I look forward to sharing that information with the people of South Australia and the people of the north-east who want a government that is going to invest where it is needed. The areas of Golden Grove, Greenwith and those surrounding suburbs have been significantly expanding over time.

What they have been let down with is a bus network that hasn't delivered for them. It is why this park-and-ride at Golden Grove is so important—because it provides access for those communities and gets them into town. I look forward also to being able to share with the house more about our plans and our studies into the best way to extend O-Bahn services out to Golden Grove. This is a fantastic and growing part of our state. It is one that has been very well served by a local member who is a fierce advocate for her community. I look forward to delivering once again on one of the many election promises that the Marshall Liberal government took to the state election.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Giles.