High Productivity Vehicle Network

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (14:36): Supplementary: given the business case from the Department for Infrastructure South Australia informed Infrastructure Australia of the stage 1 cost of $1.05 billion, I ask the minister again: given that your contribution is $350 million short, what sections of the project will not be delivered?

The PRESIDENT: Before you answer that, when you start a supplementary question with 'given' and then provide an explanation, remember with a supplementary question, you just have to ask the question, right? The word has to be if, why or when.

An honourable member: Given.

The PRESIDENT: No, not given. I am just about over it.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Autism) (14:37): As I was mentioning earlier, this is a vital piece of our network and we are doing this as the demand for road freight in Australia is expected to increase by 77 per cent between 2020 and 2050. We have done our homework and we will continue to do our homework to ensure the road network supports this growth and that there is a freight network that allows higher productivity and higher vehicles to divert their way from metropolitan Adelaide roads.

In relation to funding, I am further advised that as part of the 2025-26 federal budget process, the Australian government committed $525 million, and the state budget committed $125 million towards progressing stage 1 of the HPVN program. Due to the national significance of this program, we have always maintained the importance of this being a joint partnership.