Flinders Link

Mr MURRAY (Davenport) (15:27): My question is to the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government. Can the minister inform the house on how the Marshall government is optimising the best location for a future bus interchange in the Flinders and Tonsley precinct?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker: the question contains debate.

The SPEAKER: Can I have that question again, member for Davenport?

Mr MURRAY: The question is: can the minister inform the house on how the Marshall government is optimising the best location for a future bus interchange in the Flinders and Tonsley precinct?

The SPEAKER: I will allow that question. Minister.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (15:28): Can I thank the member for Davenport for his question, especially on this day of all days, World Environment Day. The work that this government is undertaking to get people out of their cars and into public transport—

Mr Malinauskas: This is funny.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Malinauskas: Come on! Now, seriously. This is funny.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —is extremely important, and I look forward to our record of service in this area coming to the fore as part of what is quite clearly a heated public debate. We took a decision to ensure that the Flinders Link extension of the Tonsley train line out to Flinders University continued. I know that it was something that some members derided at the time, especially in relation to the $125 million cost. I have said in this chamber, and will continue to say, that when the experts tell me what the best design is we don't take the cheapest option; we take the best option to make sure that through the design process we take every precaution to get the right bit of infrastructure—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —lest we have issues down the track that call into question the design process in the first place. That was why I was extremely comfortable and confident to make sure that we got all the money necessary to properly build the Flinders Link extension.

In doing that, we need to go one step further, and that is that we have said very clearly that we want to see improved integration of our public transport services. It was something that the former government had in their integrated land use plan document. It is obviously something they don't want to talk about anymore since they have gone into opposition, but we have the worst level of integration of public transport services in the country. What we need to do is improve that.

The best way to do that is that, off the back of the Flinders Link extension out to Flinders University, we need to make sure that we are interchanging our bus services as efficiently and as seamlessly as possible. This is something about which the member for Davenport and I have had many discussions. I know that he is a very strong and passionate advocate for this because this is an important way for members of his community to get improved access to public transport services.

This also builds off the fact that we are out there at the moment—and I know that the member for Elder is extremely passionate about this section of the line, which sneaks into her electorate—dealing with the fact that we are losing the Tonsley train station as part of this redevelopment. We are going out and having a structured and well-resourced conversation with the community to really talk through what the options are for the future for that train station.

The announcement that we have made in the past couple of days in relation to the bus interchange is made all the more important because of the announcement that was made in the last few days around the Flinders University expansion. It is $1½ billion worth of private sector investment not only to enhance what is a fantastic university but also to help realise this government's dream to improve international education and student visitation numbers here to South Australia, not only to improve upon the jobs growth and the housing development growth that is going to come but also to help improve the public transport outcomes for people in the southern suburbs.

This is a very important component to driving our public transport network forward so that we can see this integrated approach that delivers benefits well beyond just the bus or train service that is being delivered. It is to make our communities more connected, to encourage people from right across the globe to come and study here and hopefully stay here to help grow our economy and create jobs that are going to sustain our state well into the future.