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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-05-03 Daily Xml
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ADELAIDE OVAL

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure. Will the proposals for car parking, public transport, the Torrens footbridge and the plaza—

The Hon. K.O. Foley: Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock!

Mrs REDMOND: Yes, it's only $100 million or so, you know.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Allow the member to ask the question.

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Don't let them park in North Adelaide!

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Croydon!

Mrs REDMOND: Will the proposals for car parking, public transport, the Torrens footbridge and the plaza that were presented to SACA members last night as part of the Adelaide Oval redevelopment be funded separately from, or in addition to, the government's $535 million contribution to the project?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Infrastructure.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:05): Not only does the Leader of the Opposition seem incapable of remembering her own policies on this, she forgets things that we have already said.

Members interjecting:

An honourable member: Just answer the question.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I've got to say, either you people over there have the short-term memory of goldfish or you would remember some of the discussion of some of these items. Now, in terms of, for example, the footbridge: we made it absolutely plain that the footbridge is being funded out of the Convention Centre redevelopment.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: 'Oh.' They go, 'Oh.' They only knew that around nine months ago.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Because the precinct will have that footbridge. This may be a great surprise to you, but the fact that it's funded and part of something else doesn't mean it won't be part of the precinct. I think footy players will use it. The truth is, about the plaza, it is part of the project and always has been. The footbridge isn't.

Mr Marshall: So what's the total cost?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. Foley: Get over it, guys, you're on a loser with this one.

Mr Venning: Check the polls, Kevin.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I'd like to get a bet on in the next one, I can tell you.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I'd want someone to hold them if it's you, son. The truth is, Madam Speaker, today we offered an opportunity to the opposition. The opportunity was to join that 80 per cent of SACA voters, John Howard, Alexander Downer, John Olsen, Rob Kerin, Ian McLachlan—a bunch, a bevy, a welter of luminary Liberals—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. Foley: Christopher Pyne.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Christopher Pyne! We invited them to join much better credentialed Liberals than them and they are refusing to, and still seeking to undermine the project. Still seeking to undermine it. There is—

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order, Leader of the Opposition.

Mrs REDMOND: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister appears to be debating the issue. I asked about whether the cost was $535 million including all those things, or $535 million plus all the extras like the footbridge and the car parking.

The SPEAKER: I am listening carefully to the minister's answer. I am sure he is getting to his close.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: It would be easier, Madam Speaker, if they weren't an interrupting rabble, but they are. They yell, they shriek, they want to prove their courage by asking a question about something they got a hiding on, but they don't want to hear the answer because they haven't got the courage for that. It is clear—if the Leader of the Opposition spent a little time remembering what has been said before—that some items are in that $535 million and some are not. That hasn't changed. That hasn't changed an iota—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The genius from MacKillop says, 'Why didn't you tell SACA?' The truth is, there will be a footbridge there for people going to the oval to use. Why? Because it is very important. They will go to our public transport, and will we run more public transport as a result of people using it? Yes, because that is what we have been doing for years. We've seen the greatest growth in public transport this state has seen. Is the plaza part of that project? Yes, but you don't need to come in here and prove that you have the courage to ask a question today by asking something that's already on the public record.

What I will return to say is this: the taxpayer is funding $535 million, and $535 million only, on the oval redevelopment. We are also funding a $400 million Convention Centre. The Casino, as a result of this very good vote, is very likely to spend a quarter of a billion dollars in the precinct. The Intercontinental will spend money in the precint. Many of those people are very interested in building car parking in the precinct. The Casino is already on the record as stating that it is quite happy to make a contribution to the precinct if it helps.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The taxpayer is in for 535. We are in the Convention Centre for 400. They are all there in the books and have all been announced. There is a footbridge as part of—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —the Convention Centre. I will stop with this: you can keep on going, keep on undermining, but you are riding in the wrong direction. South Australia is going in one direction and you are going in the opposite direction. You will be left behind and you will inherit the oblivion you deserve.

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