Road Maintenance

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:52): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Road Safety a question regarding the Dalkeith Road and Main North Road intersection at Kudla.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: The intersection of Dalkeith Road and Main North Road has become notorious as a result of the disproportionate number of accidents that have occurred there over a long period of time. It is an intersection that I have been well aware of for most of my life. I have seen the great increase in traffic on that intersection. Residents of the Gawler area and beyond have been calling for reform to the intersection as far back as 2014. Unfortunately, another state budget has come and gone without any funding commitment.

The member for Schubert in another place, Mr Stephan Knoll, recently wrote to the minister about this intersection. He did so in his capacity as the shadow minister for road safety on behalf of constituents of Schubert who use the intersection every day and also on behalf of the very active Liberal candidate for Light, Karen McColl. The minister responded recently, saying that DPTI plans to install traffic signals at this location 'within the next two years'; however, the department had also stated that it will engage a consultant to investigate and undertake all options. Given this, my questions to the minister are:

1. Why does the government need to engage a consultant if it already plans to install traffic signals within the next two years?

2. Why would it take up to two years to install traffic lights at that intersection?

3. Given that the intersection forms part of the City of Playford-Town of Gawler council boundary, has the minister or DPTI consulted with the councils regarding the potential solutions to this dangerous intersection?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:54): I thank the honourable member for his question and his interest in the area, for whom the local member is the Hon. Mr Tony Piccolo. We are very grateful, in the state of South Australia, to have high-quality representation in a number of places across the state, but I think one of the best examples is in the seat of Light, where we have a local member who is incredibly committed to that constituency and who is across almost every issue. As the—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Would the Leader of the Government please desist.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Point of order: I have raised an issue that is a very serious matter for people who use that intersection every day. To be fair, the minister is trying to answer it but the Leader of the Government is not letting him.

The PRESIDENT: If my recollection is right, I think you were one of the first ones to start off the interjections. Like you, I would like the minister to give a proper answer—

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Point of order: I am not going to take that. The first interjections came from over there—

An honourable member: He did it, he did it.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: I certainly did not—no, I am sorry, I am not going to take that.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Dawkins has made a point of order. I think he shares my view that we would like to hear the answer from the minister, so would the minister please finish his answer.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I was just warming up, because I was talking about all the hard work of the Hon. Mr Tony Piccolo in the seat of Light. Nevertheless, as has recently been reported in The Bunyip, the government has sought to expedite the works that are occurring at the intersection the Hon. Mr Dawkins has asked about. Our plan now is to start, as quickly as we possibly can, in the next 12 months, on the works that need—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: Twelve months now?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: That's correct. We have sought to expedite it, as was reported in The Bunyip recently, to bring those works forward to ensure that local—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! You are both as bad as each other. Show the minister respect while he is giving his answer. Minister, will you please continue with your answer.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: No worries, Mr President; I will try once again. As was reported in The Bunyip, the work on this particular intersection has been sought to be brought forward. The government intends to have those works underway within the next 12 months. The finalisation of exactly what works will be done is a process that is currently underway, but the government remains committed to its now publicly announced target, as I am advised was reported in The Bunyip recently, to get works underway at that intersection in the next 12 months.