High Productivity Vehicle Network

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): My question is to the Premier. When was the Premier first informed that the federal government would be investing in the High Productivity Vehicle Network? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: The $525 million announcement was first made on social media by a federal Labor backbencher. There was no formal announcement or immediate statement made by the state government and it took around 30 hours before the state government publicly acknowledged the funding.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:19): I think his complaint is that we did not announce the commonwealth budget. His complaint is to a state premier: why didn't you announce the commonwealth budget? What they are really upset about is that the member for Boothby, Louise Miller-Frost, is out on the front foot fighting for her constituents, while Nicolle Flint has gone missing in the witness protection program, nowhere to be seen on this. There are plenty of photographs of her by herself on her Facebook page but not with any people, and plenty of selfies out the front of landmarks in Boothby but not with any people. More importantly, none with any policy. No people, no policy but, most importantly, no money—no money. The commonwealth government has turned up with half a billion dollars to take trucks off Portrush Road and Cross Road. Members opposite: silence, no money, no commitment, no policy, nothing.

So asking us about the commonwealth government and its budget processes just shows you they have got no questions of their own—no questions of their own. So my point is, ring up Peter Dutton; get his number off the Premier. Happy to give it to you, alright? He will introduce you if you like. He will introduce you and say, 'This is our friend, Vincent. He's got a long career ahead of him as opposition leader—a long career.' We would happily engage with whoever wins the next federal election to get trucks off Portrush Road and Cross Road. But there is a problem: a good one for us, a bad one for them. There is only one party promising to take trucks off Portrush Road and Cross Road, and that is the Albanese Labor government.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It's the Albanese Labor government. And there's only one party that had a secret plan to get more trucks onto Portrush Road and Cross Road, and that was members opposite.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order from the deputy leader.

Mr TEAGUE: Standing order 98(a), and the question goes to timing. It's very specifically about timing, not about what the minister has just been debating now for the reheated second or third time. It's when. He needs to answer the question and he has only got a minute or so left.

The SPEAKER: The minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I know members opposite have been in government previously, so they know the processes. The processes are obviously business cases, the processes are Infrastructure Australia, the processes are commonwealth budget and state budget processes.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Marginal seat members who make announcements are entitled to make announcements, and do you know what? Louise Miller-Frost has got all of you talking about a Labor project. Why don't you talk about your projects? Why don't you make your own announcements? There are a lot of these come-to-Jesus moments from members opposite. The first one was the Morphett Road grade separation. The member for Morphett has been in that electorate and as mayor, but never called for it previously. Once he got wind of us planning on it with Louise Miller-Frost, he was all over it afterwards. The question is: why won't members opposite, at the very least, come out and match this proposal?

Mr Patterson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett, final warning.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: They won't do it because they've got no plan to take trucks off Cross Road or Portrush Road; they've got plans to put more trucks on Portrush Road and Cross Road. The member in the back there sitting with a little wry smile on his face, he knows what's going on. Duplication of the Swanport Bridge, he wishes he had thought of that but he hadn't. He wishes he had thought of that but he hadn't.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Really? I'll check my mail. How many times have you written to me about duplicating the Swanport Bridge? How many times?

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Okay, alright. Well, I have been here 27 years. How many times you have written to a government about the Swanport Bridge?

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I will come back and check.