Regional Roads

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Regional Roads. Can the minister advise the house about funding for regional roads infrastructure as part of total road infrastructure funding in the 2022-23 state budget?

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Regional Roads, Minister for Veterans Affairs) (14:50): I thank the member for Mawson for this question. This government understands the importance of investing in our regions, and that is why our approach is focused on action and not rhetoric.

We are investing in our regional roads infrastructure not only to improve freight corridors and increase economic growth but also to support regional communities and to improve road safety. That is why in 2022-23 this government will invest $467.4 million in new projects in our regions. I emphasise the word 'new' because this additional $467.4 million in new projects in our regions will bring our total regional spend in 2022-23 to well over $1 billion. In actual fact, it is $1.059 billion in this financial year.

Unfortunately, this fact was missed by my colleague the member for Hammond when he engaged with the media yesterday and also today. In fact, our regional infrastructure spend across the forward estimates is $2.5 billion. I will say that this is including the forward estimates from the previous government, but it is $2.5 billion. That is 39 per cent of our total spend being focused on the regions over the next four years. Further, if we remove the distortion of the north-south corridor spend—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —our investment in regional roads infrastructure increases to 72 per cent of total infrastructure investments over the next four years.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta! The minister has the call.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: The member for Hammond—perhaps mistakenly—in a press release yesterday focused only on the new projects, disregarding all existing projects in the pipeline for regional road infrastructure over the next four years, suggesting—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond! Member for Morialta!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —that this represents only 6 per cent—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —of total road expenditure, and accusing the government—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is warned.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —of ignoring the regions. I have said this before: I am willing to accept that this is a mistake and was not meant to mislead anyone, reflecting a lack of understanding of budgetary processes, accounting principles and even basic mathematics.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Chaffey!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: I have said before in this house that I am quite happy to sit down with the member for Hammond and any of his colleagues if they wish—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Hammond is warned for a second time.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —to go through the budget papers to illustrate with a great deal of certainty that regional communities and regional economies will be well supported—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —and taken care of by this government.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: It is worth noting some of the critical projects we will be delivering in the regions—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is on two warnings.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —including but certainly not limited to the continuation of the Augusta Highway from Lochiel to Nantawarra, $80 million—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is on three warnings.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —annual maintenance of $90 million; the duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge, which is the refurbishment of the old bridge, $38 million—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: There is also Truro bypass, $40 million—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: —the Horrocks Highway for the member for Frome, another $29 million plus $50 million; the Murray Bridge refurbishment, $25 million; and also the Princes Highway, a total of $116 million being projected there.

I can confidently say that regional communities—and I have had this conversation with members out there in the regions already—will welcome and enjoy the commitments that will deliver these projects and many others as part of the enhanced roads infrastructure, which we will be delivering over the next four years. It will be $2.5 billion.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I remind the house the member for Hammond is on three warnings.