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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-10-15 Daily Xml
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Giles Electorate

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (15:37): I rise today to speak about an important infrastructure project in Coober Pedy and about the commissioning of the long-awaited desalination plant in Hawker and, if I get the time, I would like to talk about the official opening of the Desert Trade Training Centre at Roxby Downs Area School.

I had the pleasure of being in Coober Pedy with the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure just two weeks ago to announce the allocation of $1.3 million to widen the airstrip at Coober Pedy Airport. Unfortunately, the service to Coober Pedy, which is a monopoly essentially held by Rex, was put at risk as a result of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority coming to the conclusion, as a result of the planes Rex was using in Coober Pedy, that the airstrip did not meet the necessary safety requirements. Planes had obviously been landing there for many years without any issues, but this issue did arise, and there was a real danger that come November air services to Coober Pedy, or at least the Rex Saab service to Coober Pedy, would be severely curtailed or possibly even come to end.

Members would realise the serious impact that would have on Coober Pedy, given that by road it is a round trip of over 1,600 kilometres between Coober Pedy and Adelaide, so the air services are incredibly important. Of the passengers who use the service to Coober Pedy, 75 per cent are visitors to the Eyre community. Of that 75 per cent, 50 per cent is business-related travel and 39 per cent is for tourism-related activity. So, it is an incredibly important service.

We were hoping that the federal government would come to the party and we could reach an amicable arrangement where they would meet 50 per cent of the cost, but there were some difficulties in securing that. At the end of the day, given the importance of the service, the state government, through the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and the Treasurer, committed to the $1.3 million to widen that airstrip so that the service could continue.

I am pleased that no politics were played; it would have been very easy to just sit back and say that the federal government should come to the party. As a federal agency, they had a role in generating some of the difficulties, but difficulties based on safety. Those political games were not played, and the state government was willing to commit the money needed given the importance of the matter. I think the Coober Pedy community did breathe a very serious sigh of relief because the consequences of the closure of that service would have been very serious indeed.

Another great infrastructure initiative in the seat of Giles is the desalination plant at Hawker which was recently commissioned in July. It is a $5.7 million project which will generate approximately just under half a megalitre of fresh water for the Hawker community over the coming years. Roughly 200 customers will be serviced by the desalination plant, which will draw upon water from a groundwater basin some four kilometres from Hawker. The Flinders Ranges Council was a strong advocate for this project over many years, so I think it was a really good day when eventually it came to fruition. Even though the water in Hawker met safety standards, many people found that it was virtually undrinkable.

Time expired.

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