Northern Economic Plan

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:07): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Automotive Transformation questions regarding the inclusion of the town of Gawler in the rollout of the government's Northern Economic Plan, entitled Look North.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: On 18 November last year the minister confirmed in this chamber to me that the Northern Adelaide Economic Leaders Group would only include him and the mayors of Playford, Salisbury and Port Adelaide Enfield, and not the adjoining councils of Gawler and Tea Tree Gully, but that 'We will consult with councils like Gawler and Tea Tree Gully.'

Earlier this year, the Premier and the minister released the long awaited Northern Economic Plan, entitled 'Look North'. On page 10 of the document the government boasts there is a key initiative, supporting the north of Adelaide, in an investment of $55 million on the construction of the Gawler East Link Road. The plan includes details of the spending on this project on page 37 which states under the section Strategic Direction 1—Industry Growth, Transport and Logistics:

Gawler East Collector Link Road, Lead Agency—Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, commencing September 2016. The $55 million, 2.8km Gawler East Collector Link Road will enable access to and further expansion of residential development east of the Gawler township. Construction will be completed by 2019 and includes upgrading the intersection at Main North Road, Potts Road and Para Road to create a 4-way signalised intersection.

Given that that particular aim—that is, to bring that link road onto Main North Road at the Potts Road intersection—is particularly controversial in Gawler and, as I understand it, the government has that under review because the Town of Gawler is not in favour of that outcome, and so it is yet to be determined, would it not be appropriate that the Town of Gawler be included in the actual lead of the group on this matter rather than being one on the outside and, as the minister said, consult with them? This link road has been flagged as one of the key points in the document and, obviously, the work that's been done to its outcome has been flawed, and that may not have happened if the Town of Gawler had been inside the tent rather than outside.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (15:10): I thank the honourable member for his question and his quite genuine interest and knowledge of these areas. I absolutely acknowledge the interest of people in Gawler and townships further out than Gawler in northern Adelaide in what's happening in northern Adelaide. I know I have spoken with the Mayor of Gawler previously. It certainly is the case that the transformation we are seeing in northern Adelaide—the reason why we have put together the Northern Economic Plan—is led largely by the slowdown in the automotive industry and in preparation for when Holden stops manufacturing cars at the end of 2017.

As I am aware, and as I have discussed with people like the Mayor of Gawler, it will not only affect those council areas that have been direct partners of the plan but it will be felt much wider. Certainly, there are many people who live in other council areas, and Gawler is certainly one of them, who work in northern Adelaide and who are exposed to the automotive industry, and it's even further afield. With regard to the western and southern suburbs and supply chain companies in the automotive area, there are still many workers whose jobs and whose lives will be greatly affected.

It is the case that, whenever you develop something like the Northern Economic Plan, you sit down and look at the area that's going to be most directly impacted and, by the nature of consulting with some people, you are necessarily, by including some in particular, not including others. I do recognise that Gawler has a very, very big interest in what happens in northern Adelaide. We will consult with the people of Gawler and their council.

In response to something that was previously asked about, I think, one of the consultation methods of Tele-Town Hall, we are preparing to do another round of that and certainly will include Gawler, as the Hon. John Dawkins has previously suggested. I think that was a good idea, and I thank him for his feedback but, whenever something is developed, by necessity there will be people who are directly included and there will be others who are consulted with, but I do absolutely acknowledge that what happens in northern Adelaide has an impact in Gawler. What happens in Gawler, and certainly areas further afield than Gawler, has an impact on northern Adelaide as well.