Kingston Jetty

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (15:34): My question is to the Treasurer, representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport from the other place. Can the minister give an update on the status of the insurance claim put through the state government for damage to the Kingston jetty? With your leave, Mr Speaker, and the leave the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr McBRIDE: It has been about five months since the jetty was destroyed. Engineering reports submitted confirm that the jetty was a write-off. However, the council is yet to hear back on when the claim will be paid, if it will be.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Mining) (15:34): Keeping your word is a very important thing in this place. Jetties are important. What is more important is our word, and our word is that jetties are vital parts of regional communities. When we say—when I say, when the Premier says, when any of our ministers who go to regional South Australia say—our word is our bond. I can see the member for Schubert laughing, which I will get to in a moment, about your word is your bond.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, thank you for the entree. You are going around and trying to get to her, right? I give a commitment to the member for MacKillop that we will do everything we can to make sure of this insurance claim, because our word is our bond. I hope the member for Schubert is the same type of person. Could you imagine standing up yesterday saying, 'There's no chance I will challenge the Leader of the Opposition; I will never be leader,' and then to actually do it? Could you imagine the betrayal, the cost? Could you imagine? Forever painted as Madame Defarge, you know, knitting at the bottom of the guillotine.

The SPEAKER: Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Oh, you don't like this one?

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order from the deputy leader.

Mr TEAGUE: Standing order 98(a).

The SPEAKER: I reckon you're on the money. I mean, it has been 18 months and you haven't got a lot. With six minutes to go, I think we might just—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Finally, sir, Bond University paid off. I give my word to the member for MacKillop that I will do everything I can to make sure this insurance company pays for the Kingston jetty. If they do not, luckily, the former Treasurer put in place a running tally of money for the upgrade of our regional jetties. It is an important part of our regional infrastructure spend.

I just do point out to the regional members that there was a regional study done by previous members on jetties. They did not release that study. We are more interested in fixing jetties than talking about fixing jetties. We have invested a lot in regional jetties. We want regional jetties to survive. Go to Whyalla and look at that jetty. That is our bona fides there. We want jetties to be improved and fixed, because jetties are an essential part of the wellbeing of any regional community.

One of the things I heard from the Tumby Bay Mayor and his new chief executive was an exceptional plan on the Tumby Bay jetty, which the South Australian government is very interested in. That is a council that, unlike previous council administrations, is interested in saving the jetty. It is interested in local communities. Because I know how important that jetty is for the wellbeing of that town, not just as a place to go along and enjoy Eyre Peninsula but for the mental health and good order of the region.

Jetties are more than just places that you go and visit. They are places that you can walk along, they create communities and they are an attraction. The Kingston jetty, the Tumby Bay jetty and the jetty that we upgraded in Port Lincoln as a result of the former Treasurer's program—which was a great outcome, with even an enclosed swimming area alongside the jetty there—are great examples of this government's commitment to regional South Australia, because we kept our word. We kept our word.

Keeping your word is everything in this business and, when you break your word, people never forget it. Because when you break your word to your leader or to the people of South Australia, they will never forget it. We will see if you keep your word or if you are going to pull out the knitting needles and start knitting at the bottom of the guillotine.

The SPEAKER: Just a quick plug for the Cape Jervis jetty when you are having a look at those jetties.