Question Time

Public Transport Privatisation

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:09): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Does the minister stand by his remarks today on radio that there are no emails containing documents confirming that Bombardier, a participant in the process to privatise the Adelaide train network, was asking that the process be subject 'to an independent probity investigation'?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:10): I thank the member for this question and look forward to giving a fulsome answer on this. In the interview that he talked about on radio today, there was conversation about a fabricated email that he seems to have made up, one that has this—

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

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Oh, the jaw, very quickly—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will resume his seat. The member for West Torrens on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Personal reflection, sir, on members. The minister just accused me of fabricating an email. I ask him to withdraw and apologise immediately.

The SPEAKER: Did the minister say that? I'm not sure I heard the minister.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: No, sir. I'm referring to an email that has been fabricated that the member is throwing around.

The SPEAKER: I must say, that's as I heard it. I hear the member's point of order. On the basis of what I heard and the minister's response, I don't regard there being a case for withdrawal at this point. I will listen carefully. The minister has the call.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: To go back through the process and give that fulsome answer, of course, as we know, our government is about delivering better services for South Australia. We went to a procurement process. It was a competitive tender. That went out. There were a number of people who put in for that tender. At the end of the tender process, there was a winner. There was someone who did get awarded that tender. There were people who missed out. I understand that sometimes when you do not win you want to know why, and we are working with those companies that did not put in the successful bid.

The new company that has received the tender is Keolis Downer, a good, reputable company right around Australia. In fact, Labor governments in Queensland have used them not only to build but run their Gold Coast tram network, and also the Yarra tram network as well. So, yes, I am led to believe from reports in the media that one of the underbidders has sent an email asking for some feedback. I'm happy to work on that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: What has been fabricated—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Lee!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: What has been fabricated in the media—and have a guess as to who it might be from, and he is sitting opposite. But what has been put out there is that there is some other email that the member for West Torrens has been sitting on for two weeks now, some big exposé, an email that is apparently going to open this right up—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: The one you said that's fabricated and doesn't exist?

The SPEAKER: Order, member for West Torrens!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —but he won't reveal it. He won't release it to the public. He's sitting—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: There is no email. There's an email from people who are saying they would like to know and get some feedback on their procurement, on the process they went through.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: That's it. They are welcome to that, and they will be delivered that. If you've got more emails on this secret—

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will direct his remarks through the Chair. I am sure I don't have such information.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Nor, I think, does the member for West Torrens, but I'm keen to see it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: When there's silence on my right, the member for West Torrens.