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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-09-26 Daily Xml
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NOARLUNGA RAILWAY LINE

The SPEAKER: Supplementary from the deputy leader?

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): Supplementary, if I may. Minister, in all these daily conversations, and given your statement that you understood, up until the review (which was only a week or so ago) that there was an expectation that it would reopen in November, at any one time did the department tell you that this line would not reopen in September?

The Hon. C.C. FOX (Bright—Minister for Transport Services, Minister Assisting the Minister for the Arts) (14:33): I think that you mean that I had an expectation it would open in September. In the initial part of your sentence you said 'November', but I am assuming you mean September; is that correct?

Ms Chapman: Yes.

The Hon. C.C. FOX: It is, right; just clarifying for you. Obviously, I take the advice of senior public servants. If senior public servants and engineers—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.C. FOX: Those opposite, Mr Speaker, laugh at that. I don't want to take advice from my imaginary friends who write unusual documents; I actually like to take advantage of the advice from real people in the Public Service, and my understanding was that the advice they gave me—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport Services has the call.

The Hon. C.C. FOX: Yes, yes. My understanding was, as I have explained in the previous answer, that up until very recently that line would be reopened towards the end of September, beginning of October. It seems unusual to me that I should have to answer that question two or three times. It is very clear. After the reopening of the Belair line, the department decided to re-examine the way that they brought infrastructure back online. They initiated their own review into how they did that, and minister Koutsantonis and I awaited the results of that review and the results of what they were planning to do, and we took their advice accordingly.

The SPEAKER: Minister, we don't need the transport minister's surname.

An honourable member: People have been warned for that.

The Hon. C.C. FOX: I apologise.

The SPEAKER: They have been warned for that, especially since as I understand in the Greek it means 'the son of paralysed Tony'.

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