North-South Corridor

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley) (14:09): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Is the Torrens to Darlington section of the north-south corridor identified in the federal budget papers and, if not, why not?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:09): For the federal budget—that is true, as much as I wish I was in charge of the federal budget. I report to the member that the commonwealth government are co-contributors to the north-south corridor and have been for the entirety of the project, from when it was first begun under the Labor Party. The father of the north-south corridor, the current Prime Minister, Mr Anthony Albanese, is a big supporter of it.

The most recent public notices given by the commonwealth government were that the extra amount that we required as part of our review was funded in the forward estimates of the commonwealth government. A public press release was put out, I understand, by Catherine King, in response to questions from The Advertiser. I know members opposite don't believe what they read in The Advertiser for some reason. I don't know why.

The Hon. C.J. Picton: That's if they read it.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If they read it at all. The commonwealth budget operates on a cash accounting basis; ours operates on an accrual accounting basis, as the Treasurer will inform you in a couple of days' time. So the way that they account for their expenditure is different from the way that we account for our expenditure. This is a decision they made long ago. I know that the extra money that we required over the forward estimates is there. I have received my correspondence from the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure—

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —and the South Australian government is entirely satisfied, and no level of interjection or little wisecracks from my young friend will change any of that. I know that my young friend is desperate to make a name for himself, and the advice I give him is that wisdom comes with time, not the other way around. I would say to my young friend that patience is a virtue, that the north-south corridor is being built. It has been repaired from what was left—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Badcoe!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It is in the federal budget. If the member can show me the evidence he has that no federal budget papers—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I also say this to my young friend: the north-south corridor is not a new initiative, it is not a new measure; it's an existing measure. I am not quite sure what has confused my young friend, but my young friend would do well to read what he finds in The Advertiser. In The Advertiser, the federal Minister for Infrastructure has set out quite clearly that the funding that we requested over the forward estimates as part of our review is there.