Train Services

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. What due diligence did the government undertake to ensure the $2.14 billion cost to operate Adelaide's train network was going to deliver savings to South Australian taxpayers?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:28): Actually, the government went through a very thorough process, through the procurement process, in making sure that what we got was bang for buck for the South Australian taxpayer. I think I outlined those figures in my previous answers. Where we landed on that was a $118 million saving and better services for the South Australian taxpayer. That sort of saving, what that means is that we can keep reinvesting that into projects we need that the Premier just outlined, like the education projects we are doing—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, leader!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —like the hospitals that we are renovating, the Repat hospital that the Premier talks about, a great thing I know in the member for Elder's electorate, but we can also put back into infrastructure projects as well. I know we are expanding our prisons. We are doing that many projects. We are building what matters to South Australians, and by making those savings, getting better services for the South Australian taxpayer and delivering better public transport services.

We want to get more people back onto public transport. We know that under those opposite people dropped off public transport. We want to get them back and that comes with better customer service. Keolis Downer do an outstanding job in delivering customer service. We look forward to working with them.