House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-11-12 Daily Xml

Contents

RAIL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:45): To the Minister for Transport, if I may, as a supplementary: has the estimated cost of the electrification of the Gawler line blown out since it was announced as Labor Party policy in the 2010 election?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:46): Since 2010?

The SPEAKER: Yes; has it blown out since 2010? The Minister for Transport.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: No. What has happened is that the commonwealth government had a policy at the last federal election. They detailed in their public statements on the Thursday before the campaign what projects they would cease funding. They mentioned Tonsley in their plans. They did not mention that they would be stopping the funding of the electrification of Gawler. Then, after the government released its ITLUS plan—its transport and land use plan—we announced electrifying to Salisbury. That money has been removed by the commonwealth. So, if the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wants to call her colleagues in Canberra and ask them to reinstate the funding, then we can deliver the project as planned.

The SPEAKER: A second supplementary, member for Bragg.