Rail Infrastructure

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (14:55): My question is to the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government. Can the minister inform the house how the Marshall government is continuing to build South Australia through the Gawler rail line electrification?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:55): I rise to speak about the Gawler line electrification project, a project I know that is dear to the heart of the member for Newland. I thank him for his question and also for his renewed interest in this project. The sense of relief—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —that I have received from the public on this issue has been immense, and that relief—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Members on my left, this is grossly disorderly. Please, be quiet.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: The preceding cynicism I think stems from the fact that this project was more on again, off again than Rachel and Ross from Friends.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, be seated for one moment. Member for West Torrens, I am putting you on two warnings, and when the Leader of the Opposition interjects with his hand in front of his mouth, which I used to do as an opposition backbencher, I can still hear him. Minister.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Nobody trusted the former Labor government to deliver this project—no-one—and that is due to the fact that three times this project was restarted—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: that is debate, sir.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order for debate. It's a bit rich to call debate when there are constant interjections—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: I wasn't interjecting, sir.

The SPEAKER: I didn't say you were—I wouldn't accuse you of things that you haven't done, member for West Torrens—but others were, and I ask that they cease so that I can hear the minister's answer. The minister has the call and I will listen to his answer carefully.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: For those poor long-suffering commuters of the northern suburbs, who for generations have loyally voted for the Labor Party, it took a Liberal government to actually deliver better public transport services for them. All the money is there in the budget from the federal and state governments. This project is going ahead. The service work trench has started and people will be able to see hard hats and high-vis on site delivering this project.

For all those long-suffering commuters of the northern suburbs, can I say thank you for your patience. I also know that these people need us to get on and deliver this project not only because it's going to deliver faster services—because we know that electric trains are able to accelerate and decelerate much more quickly—and not only because we are going to deliver 15 per cent extra capacity by the 12 new and three existing electric trains that are going to be delivered as part of this service. Not only will they get greener services but all those residents who live along that corridor will finally get quieter services.

I think that this is a fantastic outcome and, once again, what happens when a grown-up, mature state and federal government partnership is brought to bear. Sitting down and working with minister Fletcher at that stage, now minister Tudge, to deliver this project—they have been a joy to deal with—we have managed to deliver for the people of the north some $220 million from the federal government and $395 million from the state government to deliver this project.

Once completed, we will actually be able to provide a modern service for the people of the north and, I note, especially for the people who live in the member for Light's electorate, people I speak to all the time. The cynicism that they have had on this project has been longstanding, but now they can finally rely on a Marshall Liberal government that is going to get the job done. They are going to get the job done and that is a fantastic outcome.

I look forward to updating the house as this project continues to progress as we deliver this project for those 21,000 people each day, some 60,000 commuters across our network, who are going to get the benefit from this. They will know that they have a government that is willing to invest in public transport, willing to improve public transport services and willing to take the steps necessary to make sure that we have the best network in the country.

The Hon. A. Piccolo interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Light, you can leave for the remainder of question time because you have been on two warnings and you continue to interject, thank you; and then the deputy leader will have a question once you leave.

The honourable member for Light having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. D.C. van Holst Pellekaan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Energy and Mining is called to order. The deputy leader has the call.