State Development

Mrs POWER (Elder) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government. Can the minister update the house on the action the government is taking to build South Australia, grow jobs and reduce traffic congestion?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:34): I thank the member for Elder for her question and note that this government is doing a huge amount—

The Hon. Z.L. Bettison interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Ramsay!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —to help do all those things in her electorate of Elder. I note her help and thank her for her help in that regard. This has been a year of delivering for South Australians—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —whether that be in the planning space, where we are putting in place a system that is going to improve value-adding opportunities in regional South Australia and improve the quality of infill development inside our city, whether it's increasing consultation time frames or helping to speed up application assessment time frames, this is a government that is delivering a better planning system for South Australia. We are also helping to improve heritage, with some 208 new local heritage places signed off since we came to government.

In transport, we have taken some very bold steps to move our transport system into the 21^st century, whether that is undertaking autonomous vehicle trials, whether that is now undertaking on-demand bus trials in Mount Barker or up in the Barossa Valley, whether that is not accepting the poor level of service that our public transport services—

The Hon. A. Piccolo interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Light!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —currently provide, or taking the very strong, bold and, may I say, right decision to outsource our train and tram services here in South Australia. We secured a contract to make sure that our buses continue to be built here in South Australia by South Australian firms Scania and Precision. We also fixed up the South Australian taxi subsidy scheme mess that the former government left us and we have negotiated with the commonwealth to get a good deal for people living with a disability who have transitioned to the NDIS.

We have upgrades to public transport on the Gawler line electrification, the Paradise park-and-ride, the Tonsley train station, as well as securing the funding to deliver on the Flinders Link extension out to Flinders University. We also allowed e-scooters to ride on our city streets for the first time in South Australia's history. Earlier this year, we also made decisive change to help keep dolphins safe in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. I think it is a very good step forward for vulnerable users (including dolphins), as well as kayakers and canoeists in the Port River.

When it comes to transport and when it comes to infrastructure, this has been a year for delivering for South Australia. Whether it be working with the federal government to secure funding for 10 intersection upgrades, including two grade separations: one at Hove and one at Ovingham or whether it be working with the federal government to secure $5.4 billion towards the next stages of the north-south corridor, this government is delivering.

Finally, after five years of mess, we have given the people of Carrickalinga an answer to what's going to happen with the wave generator. We have also seen construction start on the Adelaide Oval hotel—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Mawson and member for Waite!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —a facility that is going to keep Adelaide Oval world class and help keep tourists coming to South Australia. We have also put money on the table to fix the dilapidated piece of kit which is called the Granite Island Causeway. A problem that they neglected for 16 years, we have delivered on as part of this new government. We finally fixed up the City South tram stop, a problem that existed for ages. We also helped to secure Thomas Foods and their upgraded abattoir here in South Australia, securing 2,000 jobs for South Australians.

The most important initiative that we undertook this year was to secure $1.3 billion to upgrade roads in regional South Australia. This initiative will save lives. This initiative is a record in South Australia's history and this is a program of works that is going to help give back to the people of regional South Australia, who have given so much to our state.