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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-04-08 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:39): My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer advise the house of the similarities between the Liberal's new transport policy and the government's announcement in June 2008 of a $2 billion investment in the state public transport system?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:39): The transport minister would normally have done this, but he is interstate and the task has been handed to me. I am not sure who devises the Liberal Party transport policy. Is that still you, Duncan?

Dr McFetridge: Yes.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: That was yes, with a shrug like that. Who is the guy in the upper house who is running around saying he is doing the transport policies these days?

An honourable member: Ridgway.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Ridgway MLC. He is apparently saying that he is doing the transport portfolio. If we believe the paper today, our good friend the member for Morphett is for the high jump. He is about to be tipped out of a shadow portfolio. Perhaps we will see the member for Finniss coming back down to his rightful place on the front bench. I would have to say that I, for one, would be very sorry to see the member for Morphett bumped out of cabinet, because I think he is a good bloke.

I guess that copying is the best form of flattery. I am told that there were a number of Liberal Party personnel handing out flyers with the Liberal Party transport policy at some train stations this morning. This is nine months after this government announced a $2 billion public transport infrastructure plan over the next decade. Let us have a look—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: —$2 billion—at what the Liberals are saying that they will do in their new transport plan. We have a copy of the flyer here but I cannot show that around the house because it would be in breach of standing orders.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I will put $1 in, sir. Do you accept 50¢ pieces, two of them? Is that all right? Just 50¢. Thank you. 'Re-sleeper and electrify the north-south access from Noarlunga to Gawler.' We have already announced that. That was in our last budget. 'Extend services from Noarlunga to Seaford.' We have already announced that we are—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Seaforth, that is right. That is the guy who says that Andamooka is not in this state. We have already said that we have requested the federal government to provide that for us. The Liberals are saying that they will conduct a feasibility study on extending the Noarlunga line to Aldinga. Well, the first thing you have to do to get to Aldinga is to get to Seaford, so let us get to Seaford and then we will see how we go in terms of going to Aldinga. In fact, we are identifying a rail corridor to Aldinga as we speak. 'Improve bus services to the south, the north and the east.' In the 2008-09 budget we announced 80 extra buses over four years to provide an extra nine million passenger journeys.

Mr Kenyon: They are going one step further, they are reannouncing our policies!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Reannouncing our policies! 'Increase Go Zones.' There are 41 Go Zones in metropolitan Adelaide. We have introduced 25 in seven years. The Liberals introduced 16 in nine years. Every single one of the Liberal Party's transport initiatives put out in a leaflet today is already being undertaken by the government.

It is nothing but a complete copy of the government's decisions—not plans—in terms of improving the state's infrastructure and transport corridors. I simply say to members opposite, you have to be a little more creative than simply copy government, and when you are creative you have to actually cost it and explain how you are going to pay for it.

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