Unley Road

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Treasurer, and also the minister representing the Minister for Transport in another place, about small business and a new government policy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: A month ago, the transport minister announced extensions to clearway times on several main roads into the city, in particular Belair and Unley roads, which I travel on every day along with about 30,000 other cars, in order to save drivers a measly 40 seconds to a minute. However, unlike many of the other roads, compact Unley Road is in a unique situation in that the decision will have major economic consequences on more than 450 businesses reliant on it, especially between Cross and Greenhill roads.

While I was discussing the issue with minister Knoll on Leon Byner's FIVEaa morning talk program last Friday 10 May, I had to do a double-take. Here is some of what the minister said in response to loud protests from the Unley Road Association, which has a very large membership base:

In early March, all of the councils whose roads feed off…the state roads were consulted and asked about what their feedback was.

In relation to Unley Road, the council came back…supportive of these proposals…and there is a bit of a chicken and egg thing here where you've got to announce something to be able to consult on it and…on 16 and 17 April the department went out to consult with businesses along all of the areas where changes are being made.

He then went on to say:

…and the feedback we've received and…the brief I've got is a few days old now, suggested there wasn't much feedback from individual traders.

There wasn't much feedback because there was no consultation, not even with the Unley council, which denies it supported them.

The Unley council tells me that the first they heard about the set-in-concrete decision was in an impersonal email from DPTI on 5 March, which opened with the greeting, 'Hi, City of Unley.' This was followed by a fact sheet sent to the council, residents and traders in early April. My question to the Treasurer and the Minister for Transport is:

1. Is this new Marshall government policy to make binding decisions first without undertaking any consultation with affected stakeholders?

2. Why, after the failure of his shopping hours bill, does the Treasurer and his government continue to treat small business with contempt?

3. What evidence can his government produce that it did engage and consult with all affected councils and traders before making their decision?

4. Will the government and transport minister defer and review extended clearway times on Unley Road until there has been proper consultation with the council, traders, landlords and the community?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:49): I won't be diverted by the comments in relation to shop trading hours. I think that issue has been addressed on innumerable occasions in the past. But the substance of the questions which relate to transport-related issues, I will very happily take on notice and refer to my colleague in another place and bring back a reply.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Pangallo, that question was well and truly pushing the envelope of standing orders. Can we please restrain ourselves and keep it brief.