Marino Railway Station

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (14:20): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Can the minister update the house on the government's commitment to improving safety and amenity at the Marino Railway Station?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:20): It was the member for Gibson who first brought to the government's attention the impacts of safety at the Marino Railway Station. I was called to a meeting with the head of the local Neighbourhood Watch committee, Darren Bailhache, at the Marino Railway Station. The member for Gibson, who does not represent that area, took an interest because the local MP had not been as concerned about safety at this railway station as the local Neighbourhood Watch would have liked.

I went to this meeting, and the local Neighbourhood Watch area was quite concerned about the level of lighting, the level of safety and amenity at the railway station, and felt that there could be a greater capacity for an increase in patronage at that railway station if we improved safety. I want to thank the member for Gibson for, one, taking an interest in the community that is adjacent to her own but not in her community, which is I think a credit to her as a local member of parliament, and a credit also to Alex Dighton, who has done an exceptional job at highlighting the problems with the amenity and safety at this area.

He made representations to the government about this. Unfortunately, the advocacy raised the attention of the local MP, who made a complaint to South Australia Police about Neighbourhood Watch going to the Minister for Transport about safety and amenity at a train station because they didn't dare go through him first. Can you actually believe a member of parliament was making a complaint to South Australia Police about Neighbourhood Watch going to the minister about the safety of a railway station? Interestingly, there had been other complaints to the police about this member of parliament but in a different way.

It is important to note that Mr Speirs was very upset that the government was looking at new tactile pavement markers to improve accessibility, CCTV camera technology throughout the station, a 24-hour emergency phone and upgrades to the platform's shelter. Who could possibly make a complaint to police about a government looking at improving safety and amenity in the local community? Only David Speirs and the Liberal Party. Only them, only they, the leader of the opposition, the person who led members opposite, would make such a complaint.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: I've not gone the way you wanted?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: It was your question. Standing order 98, sir: the minister is now moving into debate.

The SPEAKER: I think the member asked about a piece of infrastructure, and I think the minister is giving an answer about—

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

The SPEAKER: He is talking about who called on that infrastructure to be upgraded.

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: He's kicking a man while he is down, sir.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Kicking a man while he is down is having your candidate go on radio and call for compulsory drug testing. That is kicking a man when he is down. I am happy to be drug tested anytime you want.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You too? It's amazing. Talk about kicking a man while he is down. Anyway, this is an example of a Labor government working with the community to get a good outcome for that local community. Because of the work of Alex Dighton and the member for Gibson what we are going to see here is a coordination with the local Neighbourhood Watch community. They are seeing a good outcome at their railway station. They are seeing improvements. They are seeing better amenity.

What do we get out of that? We get out of that more people on public transport. When more people catch public transport, what we do see, of course, are benefits for carbon emissions, people save money on car parking and fuel, insurance costs for their motor vehicles. We are able to decongest and spend less money, of course, on infrastructure upgrades because it allows us to do more.

Unfortunately, another little gem in all this is that the outsourcing of our rail projects by the previous government also meant that the upkeep of all our railway stations was outsourced to Keolis Downer, which meant that the state government had to actually invest in these railway stations at a cost to the taxpayer, rather than from the transport budget. I have to say: what kind of political party outsources these types of investments?

The SPEAKER: Time's up, minister. The member for Frome.