House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Infrastructure Funding Infrastructure Funding The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS House of Assembly Black Leader of the Opposition Infrastructure Funding The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): My question is, again, to the Premier. Does the Premier agree with the federal government's proposed approach to funding infrastructure projects? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain. Leave granted. The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS House of Assembly Black Leader of the Opposition The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The federal infrastructure minister announced yesterday that the federal government would move to a preference of 50-50 funding of major projects with the states rather than the current 80-20 model. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:12): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I would answer it in two parts. The first question is about the generality in general terms around: do we support the federal government's approach to infrastructure expenditure? To the extent that that approach extends to not making decisions about the expenditure of taxpayer funds in such a way that are genuinely contrary to the interests of the nation then, yes, I support it. What I think we saw from the dying days of the Morrison government was some of the most hyper-politicisation of— The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned for a second time. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —this country's infrastructure that our country has ever seen. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Hartley! The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Some of the boondoggle projects that we saw in many parts of the Eastern States were, in many respects, unjustifiable, and I think that has now— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Adelaide, member for Florey, member for Morialta, the Premier has the call. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: With respect to the 50-50 arrangement, we have seen a number of different iterations of funding arrangements from the commonwealth with respect to infrastructure, some 80-20— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is on a final warning. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta! The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is called to order. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The exchange between the member for Morialta and the Treasurer will cease. The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, you are on a final warning if you continue to interject. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Davenport, order! The Premier has the call. The member for Morialta is on a final warning. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: In respect of the 80-20/50-50 question, we have seen the commonwealth apply different formulas over the years across governments, depending on the project. Naturally, the state government, as I imagine would be the case for every state government around the country, would be far more inclined to do arrangements with the commonwealth on an 80-20 basis than a 50-50 basis, notwithstanding the fact that in many projects in the past, again, across different iterations of governments of both political persuasions, 50-50 arrangements have been in place. But, clearly, our preference would be for the commonwealth to maintain a policy of keeping 80-20 available to them as a funding option with states.