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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-11-13 Daily Xml
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INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:50): My question is directed to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Minister, can you inform the house in regard to future infrastructure plans and what project is next in the pipeline?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:50): This government is unashamedly an infrastructure government. We realise the benefits of investing in infrastructure, to support and grow our economy, as well as leveraging private investment. In that sense, we have been ahead of the curve as other conservative jurisdictions across Australia have followed our lead and are beginning to invest in infrastructure.

Only a few in our community believe investment in infrastructure by a government is a false economy. Regardless of that minority view and that minority perspective, this government remains steadfast in our commitment to deliver infrastructure for the people of this state—infrastructure that supports thousands of jobs and grows our economy, infrastructure that delivers world-class services to our community, infrastructure that has helped Adelaide become a top 10 city in the world for 2014.

We have committed more than $10 billion over the next four years in infrastructure and investment. Furthermore, we are currently discussing with the community our 30-year Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan, a plan that sets out a vision for what infrastructure we want to see built over the next 30 years but also delivers certainty for businesses in terms of how, when and where to invest.

This plan sets out a vision for bringing back light rail networks to the north, the south, the east and, most importantly, the west. Importantly, our plan sets out a real vision for our north-south corridor. Our vision highlights the next project in the state's infrastructure pipeline must be the Torrens to Torrens project. By later this year, that stretch of road will be well underway. Independent analysis shows a cost benefit for this project of 2.4:1.

An honourable member: Release it.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I have. This means that for every dollar invested there is a benefit of $2.40 to the state. Unfortunately, some members of this house would rather put a handbrake on our economy and would rather support a project that has a cost variation already of a quarter of a billion dollars and would see the state contribute more than the traditional fifty-fifty split with the commonwealth; that has a negative cost-benefit analysis; that would not be approved by any independent third-party infrastructure body, such as Infrastructure Australia or, even worse, some duplicated state advisory body mirroring the commonwealth with a cost benefit of 0.66:1; that would, on advice, dramatically increase congestion in Edwardstown, actually moving the problem from one part of South Road to another; and that would halt work on our vital north-south corridor by at least 18 months.

Unfortunately, there are members of this house who would rather do whatever Prime Minister Abbott asks than stand up and fight for the interests of this state. You have to ask yourself what kind of man would support a project that produces a lower benefit for our economy and delays stimulus, sit idly by while projects and jobs are ripped out of our state and agree with our new Prime Minister every single time he does harm to our state. The house would normally forgive the errors of a first-term rookie MP who has served less than four years—

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport is not responsible to the house for the Leader of the Opposition.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I haven't named the Leader of the Opposition. You surmised that yourself from my remarks.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully to what the minister has to say.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, I will start again. You have to ask yourself, Mr Speaker, what kind of man—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: No, the minister does not ask himself questions.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you, sir. The house would normally forgive the errors of a first-term rookie MP who has served less than four years in our parliament and made these fundamental rookie mistakes, but the sad thing is it is the man the Liberal Party wants to make the next Premier of our state.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order: the sad thing is, Mr Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Yes, point of order from the member for MacKillop, and he will recall that he did depart the house once when he rose on a point of order that turned out not to be a point of order. I hope this is a point of order.

Mr WILLIAMS: I also departed the house and the Premier apologised because I was right once, sir. The sad thing is that that was purely debate; it was not providing information to the house. It was a disgrace, in fact.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call to order both the Minister for Transport and the member for MacKillop for that unseemly exchange. The leader.

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