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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-13 Daily Xml
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O-BAHN EXTENSION

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (15:11): My question is again to the Minister for Transport. Does he still stand by his statement to the house on 23 November 2004 when he said:

I do not see an O-Bahn in our future plans anywhere, given that they are one of the most expensive forms of public transport that anyone has ever invented.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy) (15:11): Can I just say, absolutely.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Transport.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I would point out that we are not building another O-Bahn. What we are doing is finishing the one that the opposition failed to complete. Let me make this absolutely clear. We are—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I will make it absolutely clear so even the member for Morphett can understand.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Very slowly. Small words. Have they left you anything to do, incidentally?

Dr McFetridge: I've got my dignity, actually.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: You've got your what? Well, I'd cling to that if I were you. Don't you let that go. Did I say I would not build an O-Bahn? Yes. Can I say that what we are doing as a government, in case members opposite have not noticed, we are doing rail extensions, light rail extensions, tram extensions. That is what I would have done.

What you do not do is throw away sunk investment. There is an O-Bahn there. It is not what I would have done but I do think it is wise to complete it after all these years, and even wiser to do it with someone else's money. Thank you, Mr Albanese and Mr Rudd. If they insist upon me spending more on the O-Bahn, I will take it.

We do not vote against school buildings. We do not vote against commonwealth funding for the O-Bahn. We are not opposed to that. We like this federal government. We think it is doing a good job and any time it wants to send us money we will be standing in the queue saying, 'Thank you very much, sir.'

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