Road Upgrades

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. How much of the $52 million allocated to be spent on the Stuart Highway, the Yorke Highway, the Dukes Highway and the Riddoch Highway—announced in March of this year—has been spent?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:59): Can I say again that this government with its $350 million stimulus package, the first in the country, is moving faster than any other jurisdiction around the country to get projects out of the ground.

I outlined to the house yesterday the methodology we used around picking projects, ones that we could get out of the ground the most quickly. I did advise the house yesterday that the tender for Adventure Way is already out in the marketplace at the moment, and in fact we expect that contract to be awarded in a few weeks' time and for works to begin on that capping solution as well as the airport upgrade to commence in June.

The member specifically asks about the Stuart Highway, which actually is going to receive quite a lot of money and works as part of the $120 million package. I can say that we are actually utilising existing contracts that we've got at the moment for a number of packages of works around South Australia and we will actually see works commence within a few weeks’ time up on the first sections of the Stuart Highway.

But, more broadly about the $120 million package, there is $35 million as part of this package for resurfacing works for the South Eastern Freeway. At the moment the South Eastern Freeway—and the member for Heysen as well as the member for Kavel—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: I didn't ask about the South Eastern Freeway. I asked about the Dukes Highway, the Yorke Highway—

The SPEAKER: The point of order is: how much was spent?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —the Dukes Highway and the Riddoch Highway.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order about how much was spent. I believe the minister began talking about issues that are related to expenditure and I ask him to come back to that.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: We are talking about a package of works the sum of which totals $120 million of works right across South Australia.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: No, I'm asking about the $52 million package.

The SPEAKER: Order! Yes, I'm listening.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Part of that package is upgrade works on the South  Eastern Freeway, and we already have—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: No, I asked about the $52 million—

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —a $7.39 million package of road rehab and reseal works happening at the moment on the South Eastern Freeway. The member for Hammond—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: He's distracted. What are you distracted about?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —will know this is important because it is work around Callington, and I am sure for his drive down from Coomandook that's an important part of the road. We also, as I said yesterday, put out a $15 million tender for the mid-cycle refit of the tunnel. We also, though—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: The minister will be seated for one moment. Point of order?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: As part of the $350 million stimulus package, sir, I am asking about a specific portion of the $52 million package, and I have asked the minister how much of that $52 million has been spent.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. I am listening to the minister's answer.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Also, a project that was on the books—I think the member for Kavel and I date it back some 10 years—as the Managed Motorway Project on the South Eastern Freeway is actually also underway under this government's $14 million that I know the member for Heysen and the member for Kavel have been working for. Again, the reason I bring those projects up is that what I outlined to the house yesterday was the fact—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —that this government is trying to utilise existing procurement contracts, existing contracts, to be able to get work to market more quickly. There are already works going on on the South Eastern Freeway with the $7 million rehab reseal. We already have work underway on the $14 million Managed Motorway Project, and on top of that is the $15 million for the tunnel upgrade and $35 million worth of work that we are looking to utilise as much as we can as part of existing panel contracts to be able to get that work underway as soon as possible. This government has moved faster than any other jurisdiction around the country. We already see work underway now.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: In the coming weeks, we will be signing contracts on top of utilising existing contracts, and this work will be out in the field when it needs to, and that is for the duration of this COVID pandemic, as well as getting into that recovery phase that we hope happens as soon as possible.