Gawler Line Electrification

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:24): Has the minister been advised that train services—

The Hon. D.C. van Holst Pellekaan: Who is it to? Which minister?

Mr MALINAUSKAS: To the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure—thank you, coach. Has the minister been advised that train services on the Gawler line will not resume until 9 April 2022?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:24): I will refer the member again to my previous answer, the public statement we have made. The public statement we have made is that that project will be completed early next year and we will keep working towards that time line. Again, there are a number of things that are going on. You would have noticed just recently, again, there have been some setbacks of course with COVID right across the nation.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: We are working through those, getting the experts in to do the job. The other thing with the rail project—again, I know the problems that those opposite had when they delivered tram projects and a number of the build issues they had then.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is called to order.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: What you do have to do when you are doing a rail project is make sure that it is done safely. You have to actually follow the rules and regulations—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey, resist the urge.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —of the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. We will continue to do that. We will work on the signalling to make sure that we get it right. Again, I do recall that those opposite looked at this project, started it, stopped it, started it, stopped it.

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

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: It was quite horrendous.

The SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated; there is a point of order. I will take the point of order. Under standing order 134—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98, sir.

The SPEAKER: —I will hear the member. The member for West Torrens on standing order 98.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Rules applying to answers: ministers should be answering the substance of the question and not debating it. The minister is debating the answer, sir. Could you please get him to come back to the substance of the question, which is whether or not he has received any advice whether there will be any delays beyond 9 April next year.

The SPEAKER: There is some force in relation to that submission, standing order 98. Minister, I draw you back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Thank you, sir. I have completed my answer.