Mitcham Hills Road Upgrade

Mr DULUK (Waite) (15:24): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Minister, can you please update the house on when the government will release concept designs for the intersection of Shepherds Hill Road, Brighton Parade and Waite Street in Blackwood? Sir, with your leave, and that of the house, I will further explain.

Leave granted.

Mr DULUK: Many residents in my local area are eagerly awaiting the next stage of the Mitcham Hills road corridor project. The department's own website says that the concept plan for this intersection will be released by mid-2021. That is now past due. When will the date and the concept design be released for my constituents?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:25): The Mitcham Hills project that we have been working on with that local community with heavy consultation is going along wonderfully well. I will get the finer detail for the member and come back to him because I know there has been extensive consultation. The first part is progressing incredibly well. In the second part, even more consultation is happening with the community, and that's the way we like to do it.

I was talking about the Main South Road project before and the solution we came up with that, again, around heavy consultation. All of this is part of our $17.9 billion infrastructure spend and, as we know, $8.8 billion of that is on roads and public transport infrastructure, which is vitally important, especially when you consider the fact that, in coming into government, we had a $750 million road maintenance backlog. We have done an incredible amount of work and we have worked closely with a number of communities along the process to make sure we get the best outcomes.

I know that when we do these projects and you drive around South Australia at the moment, you will see roadwork signs, you will see hard hats and you will see the fluorescent vests of people working on these projects. Just recently, I was down in the South-East on the Riddoch Highway. I have been on the Horrocks Highway also and the Barrier Highway. I'm heading to Eyre Peninsula very shortly and I know there is a lot of work happening over there too, so there is work happening right around the state. That is just in the regions and we know our regions were neglected for a long period of time.

Over the next four years, we have some $2.8 billion of roadworks going on in regional South Australia because, again, of the neglect they were left in when we came to government. There are 4,800 kilometres worth of works being done in the regions. That equates to Adelaide to Brisbane, back to Adelaide and then shooting across to Melbourne—that is how much work is being done across South Australia. It is significant. It is important.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: I know those on that side don't like to hear it, but we are getting on with the job.

The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat for a moment. The member for Lee rises on a point of order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Standing order 98: debate. It was a specific question about a specific section of road in the Mitcham corridor. This is a time for Independent MPs to raise questions in question time.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I have the point of order. The member raises a point of order as to relevance. The question was quite specific. It was directed to a particular process of assessment and a particular time frame. The minister will address his answer to the question. The minister has the call.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: To further flesh out that section of the Mitcham Hills corridor, it is all part of that 4,800 kilometres of roadworks that we are doing and every kilometre—the Mitcham Hills and right across South Australia—is incredibly important.

As far as community consultation is concerned, it is very thorough. We are reaching out to the people of his community. We are listening to what they have to say. We want to make sure we get the best outcome because we know we need these road and transport improvements within metropolitan Adelaide, the Hills area and also in regional South Australia. That engagement is incredibly important and we will continue to do that work. I will get back to the member with an answer very shortly, but I'm expecting something in the next few weeks.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!