Train Services

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure. Can the minister confirm that the bid submitted by Adelaide Next was equivalent to $158 million per annum over eight years, approximately $20 million less than the final bid from Keolis Downer?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:52): Again, I am not privy to those details. That process was put in place—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: What do you mean, you signed the contract?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I didn't sign a contract with them.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will not respond to interjections.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I didn't sign a contract with them. The contract that was signed was with Keolis Downer. I can't make this any more clear for the member for West Torrens. The contract that was signed is with Keolis Downer, and that was a good contract, a contract that will provide better services for the people of South Australia.

I am on record again that the savings are $118 million over the 12-year course of the contract, and that is money that we can put back into better services for South Australia, be it the education facilities that the Minister for Education was just outlining right across our state, as well as into the healthcare facilities, again that he outlined a little earlier, or be it in infrastructure projects like we talked about—the $12.9 billion infrastructure projects that we are building for South Australia.

These are important projects and projects that we want to get off the ground and get moving as quickly as we possibly can, because we know that they generate jobs for South Australia. Coming out of the back of COVID-19, we know how important these jobs are, so we are focused on that. We are focused on delivering better services for South Australians, and also making sure that we are building what matters: the projects that will deliver jobs as we come out of COVID-19.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Elder, I warn the member for Reynell. I call to order the deputy leader.