Train Services

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Can the minister confirm that, in addition to receiving $2.14 billion to operate Adelaide's train network, Keolis Downer will also receive a share of ticket revenue?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:31): I have made this very clear in the past. What we have said is that, through the outsourcing of the operation and maintenance of this contract, the government will stay in control and ownership of the stations, the trains, the tracks, the fare box and also the scheduling. That leads us to the things that we are able to do as we go forward with this contract, and we have already outlined some of the great initiatives.

One of the key ones is probably the new Flinders Link line that we have talked about and the extra station—the new station built at Tonsley, the new station up at Flinders Link—that has enabled us to provide more services for some 44 new services a week. I think that it is more than 2,000 a year. That is around about 12,000 extra trips for the people along that line.

I know that people in the member for Elder's electorate, people who live on that Tonsley line, are incredibly excited about the more services that are going to be delivered for them because of the investment we are making in the Flinders Link line. I think it's some $141 million that we are investing in that to upgrade that system and, again, still all owned by the government. It will just be operated by Keolis Downer, who have that great pedigree and that great position of delivering outstanding services for a number of suppliers right across the country and, in fact, globally as well. This is going to be better services for the people of South Australia, exactly as we committed to at the last election.

Of course, you will also be aware that we are electrifying the Gawler rail line. It was talked about a lot on that side. It was talked about a lot—on and off the table, on and off the table. We are delivering. We are delivering for the people of South Australia better services as they need them to make sure that the people of the north are not forgotten here. Those opposite ripped this off the table on numerous occasions, but we are delivering that project, and it is generating jobs along the way, which is important too.

We have explained to the people on that northern line that there will be some inconvenience, and we want to work with them through that because what we are going to get for them at the end of the day are better services and we are going to generate jobs along the way. This is an exciting project and a great project to be delivering.