Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:14): My question is to the Premier. Will the state government commit funding to the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass and, if so, when? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: The federal government announced the day after the federal budget $525 million for the High Productivity Vehicle Network, but the Malinauskas government has not committed a single dollar. Without a state contribution, the project cannot proceed.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:15): Do you know who else hasn't committed a dollar? The Dutton opposition. Do you know who else hasn't committed a dollar? The Tarzia opposition. I have to say, it is a bit rich hearing my young friend so upset about South Australia receiving half a billion dollars worth of funding from the commonwealth government.

Do you know who was most upset about this? Nicolle Flint and James Stevens, because these people had been caught out. They had been caught out.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond and the member for Chaffey, you are on your final warnings.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The looks on their faces when the Prime Minister and the infrastructure minister—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We are talking about it right now. Have you noticed? I am on my feet. Have you noticed? I know you are not getting many questions anymore. Don't blame me; speak to the leader. It is not my fault. If it were up to me, I would promote you. I am not sure why he is not letting you ask questions. But if you want to ask me a question, go ahead and ask me a question.

We are very keen to see this project progress. Interestingly, given that the previous government had a plan to actually bring freight into the city and onto Cross Road and they had spent money upgrading intersections not only on Portrush Road but on Cross Road to take more freight, now that they have been caught out with a government that is actually investing in a freight bypass network to get freight off Portrush Road and off Cross Road, that is why they are so silent about what they would do.

The election is not that far away. The state election is coming, yet the opposition has been very silent about what they are going to do. We have a budget process. We have a Mid-Year Budget Review at the end of the year. We make our funding announcements through those processes. But members opposite have seen the commonwealth government make this announcement and there has been silence—silence from them. So everyone who lives in the state seats and the federal seats around Portrush Road and Cross Road know that the opposition do not support taking freight off those corridors.

In fact, they had a secret plan to get more freight onto those corridors, and if you don't believe me, look how they moved the Waite Gatehouse. What was that for? Why did you relocate the Waite Gatehouse? To get more freight. Why did you upgrade Portrush Road and Magill Road? For more freight. Their plan was more freight on Portrush Road; their plan was more freight on Cross Road. They even had a secret plan to grade separate Cross Road and Unley Road, to grade separate the freight corridor there as well. Why? They wanted more trucks coming down the South Eastern Freeway and onto Cross Road.

We make our assessments through a budget process, like all good governments do. It is important to note that the opposition's silence on this, I think, is because the Dutton opposition will not be backing this plan. So, in terms of advocacy, why isn't the Leader of the Opposition on the phone to Peter Dutton? If you want his number, the Premier has it. He will give it to you. He will hand it over to you, no problem.

Ring him up and ask him, 'Why hasn't the federal opposition committed to this project as well?' Why won't they? Because their plan is freight on Portrush Road, their plan is freight on Cross Road, their plan is to get more trucks through Badcoe, through Elder, through Waite, through Dunstan and through Bragg. That is what they want, yet from members opposite: silence.