Bus Services

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:15): My question is to the Premier. Is there any possibility that the Premier will overrule his minister and the changes to bus routes announced on the weekend?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:15): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —because it allows me to get to the second main bit of feedback that our customers gave us, and that is that they want a shorter journey time. They want to get from A to B more quickly. Again, these two things when combined together form the basis of what we have put out for consultation over the weekend: a more frequent network and a quicker network. What we have been able to achieve here are some 1,100 new bus stops, of which around 220,000-odd people live within 800 metres. Not an average of 800 metres—

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

The SPEAKER: Minister, be seated for one moment. There is a point of order. The point of order is?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Debate, sir. The question was: would the government change its policy?

The SPEAKER: I have the question. I have allowed the minister 20 seconds to provide a bit of preamble. I will listen carefully and ensure that he doesn't deviate or debate.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: So 1,100 new Go Zone stops—that's a fact rather than opinion—and also 200 kilometres of new Go Zone, providing an increased service to 220,000 South Australians, 220,000 South Australians who will live within a maximum of 800 metres. I do note that there were tweets over the weekend that tried to equate maximum distance with average distance in other jurisdictions. Maybe if you are going to make comparisons, apples with apples is a much better way to go about it than apples and oranges.

Within 800 metres of a Go Zone—that is the biggest expansion of the Go Zone network that our state has ever seen, a phenomenal step forward that is going to drive patronage growth. Where this has been undertaken in other jurisdictions, that is precisely what it does. I know that anytime there is reform it is difficult, and especially made more difficult when you have members of different political parties out there, not—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Has the minister finished his answer? The minister has completed his answer.

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Elizabeth, you are on two warnings.

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Yes, you. If this continues, you will be leaving.