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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-09-24 Daily Xml
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Public Transport

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the minister advise the house on the state government's investment in public transport infrastructure and services?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:34): I thank the member for Torrens for her keen interest in public transport.

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: As a member of the north-eastern suburbs, she has been a keen supporter of public transport initiatives to improve access into the city.

The SPEAKER: Excuse me, minister. The member for Hartley thinks I can't hear him way back there. I can. He is called to order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: A modern and accessible public transport system provides South Australians with a safe, comfortable and affordable way of getting around. It is cleaner, more environmentally friendly and reduces congestion on our roads. That is why the state government has invested heavily to modernise and expand public transport services. In order to run a good public transport system, of course, you need modern rolling stock.

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned for the first time. He may be joining those who are celebrating the feast of his nativity earlier than he anticipates.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: In order to run a good public transport system, of course, you need to invest in modern rolling stock. We have replaced the old red H-class trams with 21 modern climate controlled trams. They run on an extended tram service, first extended to the Adelaide Railway Station, and then subsequently extended to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

We have introduced into service eight new electric trains, with a further 14 to be delivered by the middle of next year, that will increase capacity across the whole of the rail network. These trains service the extended and electrified Noarlunga rail line, now running to Seaford, along with the spur line to Tonsley. We have not only—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I am pleased to receive an interjection from the deputy leader. This is perhaps the first time there has ever been any interest displayed in public transport from her perspective. Not one election commitment, not one election policy. It is an absolutely extraordinary performance. When it comes to public transport the South Australian Liberal Party is the Simon and Garfunkel of policy development—a couple of releases in the 1960s and The Sound of Silence ever since.

Members interjecting:

Mr PISONI: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is debate. I uphold the point of order. I did not quite catch the Simon and Garfunkel song.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I am reluctant to as it was The Sound of Silence.

The SPEAKER: Was there another other than The Sound of Silence?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: No. Under this government we have added more train, tram and bus trips. We have extended the Adelaide Metro bus boundary to McLaren Flat, Angle Vale and Gawler where local residents have public bus services for the first time, and these are on top of the additional services on the tram line and on the Seaford line. We are cracking down on fare evasion and antisocial behaviour across the network.

Mr KNOLL: Point of order. I would have thought that after many days of this that maybe—

The SPEAKER: Just the point of order.

Mr KNOLL: Mr Speaker, infrastructuresa.gov.au clearly talks about rail revitalisation and every point that the minister has brought up so far has been contained in that release.

The SPEAKER: I value the work that the member for Schubert does for the house. I uphold his points of order whenever it is possible to do so, but I am not convinced, unless he can show me his computer screen by approaching me, not by flashing it at me as the member for Hartley did, the minister is reading word for word from a news release.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I am surprised, yet pleased, that my department would have noted the deputy leader's approach to public transport policy over the last—

Ms Chapman: They love it.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I think that must be the blank screen. All trains, trams and buses now have high quality CCTV coverage and there are 900 cameras in place—

Mr Tarzia: What was the last train you caught?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I catch the Outer Harbor line from the Largs Bay train station. I catch the 653, the 711 or the 723. And you? Oh, that's right, no interest whatsoever in public transport policy. It finally seems to be dawning on the members opposite the impact of the decisions they make in this place when it comes to investment in public transport policy. Absolutely no commitment whatsoever. Voting against the revenue streams and yet out there trying to claim credit for the announcements.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Minister. If the point of order is going to be relevance or debate, it would be really good if the member for Hartley weren't goading the minister. There seems to be some mutual goading.

Mr GARDNER: In that case I will take a point of order that it is against standing orders to indulge in quarrels across the chamber.

The SPEAKER: Quite so. Minister.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The government is working hard to encourage more people to switch to public transport and reward those who continue to use public transport. We have introduced more affordable public transport across the system with the introduction of the Metrocard system and including a new 28-day unlimited travel pass making daily travel cheaper for regular users, cheaper public transport travel on Sundays and public holidays, and extended free travel for seniors to all times other than the morning and afternoon peak.

These are all measures a political party takes if they are interested in public transport and if they understand the benefits of improved infrastructure to its citizens and the community in which they live. In contrast, those opposite have no alternative policies and no alternative proposals for public transport. Under the previous government, commuters were deserting public transport, the system was unreliable, the tracks were warped, the signals failed and sleepers were left to rot in the ground.

Ms REDMOND: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: If the member for Heysen's point is that the member's time has expired, I propose to give him a minute time on because of the interruptions. Minister.

Ms REDMOND: In fact, it wasn't that the time had expired; it was that he was now debating by talking about what a previous government may have had as a policy.

The SPEAKER: Both sides seem to be enjoying this enormously. The minister has finished. The leader.

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