Bus Services

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): My question is to the Premier. Will the operation of the government's new bus network cost more or less when compared to prior to these changes?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:29): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question and in doing so note that the great benefit of these changes is the fact that we're able to drive the existing dollar that we have within public transport further. The opportunity to be able to provide a higher and better level of service to more and more South Australians is a key reason why these reforms need to take place.

But it's not just the high-frequency corridors that we're able to look after and to help improve across our network; it's the use of on-demand services, something that we have been trialling in Mount Barker in the electorate of Kavel and note very strongly the success that trial has seen. In fact, we have seen a doubling, if not—

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

The SPEAKER: For debate. I have the question: it was about costs. I believe that the minister thus far has answered it in a manner that is germane to the question, but I will listen assiduously, as I always try to do. Minister, I will be listening.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. We have seen a doubling if not tripling of the number of people who want to use the on-demand service versus the fixed-route service at Mount Barker. The trial up there especially has given us very strong feedback showing that these on-demand services work, which is why we are now looking to roll them out on the Le Fevre Peninsula and Seacombe Gardens, as well as in Blackwood—helping people have an option to be able to catch a bus from their door, or within 150 metres of their door, and take them where they need to go within that on-demand footprint. The other reason we need to drive patronage growth, especially amongst—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: are you giving the member 40 minutes to answer the question or four?

The SPEAKER: That is definitely not a point of order, so what I am going to politely ask the member to do is to leave under 137A for the remainder of question time for a bogus point of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: It was a bogus point of order.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: Minister, I have given you some latitude. I do appreciate that the question was about costs and there may be several variable factors that are related to costs. I have given you ample opportunity to get to the substance of the question and I ask you to come back to it.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: When it comes to the existing budget and the existing costs, what I can say is that what we achieved from that existing bucket of money under the former government was the lowest level of public transport usage in the nation—the lowest level of public transport usage in the nation.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We have the question.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: What we are able to do here is to drive patronage growth using that existing bucket of money. We think that is an extremely good way to use public money, taxpayers' money that goes into subsidising some 80¢ out of every dollar spent in public transport. But in utilising this bucket of money it's not only just about how this directly and positively impacts upon potential public transport users; it's about what it does to our broader road network.

What we know from our Keep Metro Traffic Moving report is that congestion is getting worse, and one of the reasons it's getting worse is that under the former government not enough people jumped on a bus, which means that they were in their private vehicle, especially those workers who use their cars during peak hour traffic. The opportunity here, using this extra 200 kilometres of Go Zones to drive people away from their cars and into buses during those peak hours in the morning and the afternoon, is what is going to help create existing capacity within our road network.

That is, again, another reason why these reforms are so important—because it's not just the people catching the bus who will benefit; it's the people using our roads who will also benefit. They have had to deal with the fact that a poorly patronised and organised public transport network and bus network has meant that more and more people than need to be are on our roads in cars sitting in peak hour congestion.

So, coupled with the $12.9 billion that we're spending over the next four years to help improve infrastructure in South Australia, these reforms will also help to drive people, especially during the morning and afternoon peaks, onto buses so that we can free up that broader network for others.