Question Time

Planning, Transport and Infrastructure Department

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:04): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the minister advise what functions within DPTI's field services are being privatised?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:05): I think I am trying to get to the heart of this question as in relation to announcements that we made in the budget around road maintenance reform in regional South Australia. Currently, and as has been the case under the previous government, about 60 per cent of all road maintenance work that is done in regional South Australia is done by the private sector, where the department contracts out certain areas to private sector operators, who then conduct road maintenance in those areas.

What we have had is the remaining 40 per cent continuing, at this time, to be done internally by the department. What was announced in last year's budget was a savings measure to take that remaining 40 per cent of road maintenance work and put that out to the private market, consistent with the practice as it has been done in the department for quite some time. We are talking about areas across regional South Australia that will now go out to the private sector, and there is a very strong process around that.

We made announcements on that only a few weeks ago in relation to the next steps on it and the discussions that we are having internally with regard to existing staff in those areas. I understand that that process is now moving to expressions of interest for South Australian civil construction firms about tendering for that work. That process will then roll out over the coming months.