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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
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Federal Budget

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:03): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure advise the house of reactions in South Australia to last night's federal budget?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (15:03): Can I thank the member for Light for his question because I know that, like many people—particularly those living in the northern suburbs—they had some great expectations of last night's federal budget, but of course, like so many other areas of government, last night's federal budget completely dudded South Australia. The federal government failed to commit one new dollar, one new dollar—

Mr Bell interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I know the member for Mount Gambier is keen to attend the Mount Gambier racing carnival—and so am I—and I will give him that opportunity if he continues. Minister.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The federal government failed to commit one new dollar for state infrastructure projects in South Australia. Last night's budget was great for New South Wales: $8.4 billion for inland rail, $5.3 billion towards a new western Sydney airport and $5 billion to Snowy Hydro. So, while the Prime Minister's home state was rewarded with nearly $20 billion in new projects—

Ms Sanderson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide is on two warnings.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —South Australia got nothing. The member for Adelaide says 'protein' again. I think we have established it's not protein. I think we have established that. I am happy to get her a briefing. It's a slight difference, but we will sort that out for her. So, $1.2 billion was allocated for Metronet in Western Australia, the federal finance minister's home state—a project that doesn't have a business case, doesn't have a project report, but apparently it's okay to fund those sorts of projects.

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is warned.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Here in South Australia, there is no new money for South Road upgrades, no money committed to public transport projects and no new regional projects. The only thing that the federal Liberal government is crowing about in South Australia is finally unpicking those cuts that federal members like Tony Pasin and Rowan Ramsey voted to impose on local government by getting rid of the supplementary road funding.

Mr Whetstone: Did you say submarine funding?

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is called to order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: No, we are not talking about your IQ. We are talking about things above surface.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mitchell is warned. The member for Chaffey is warned.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Today, the Civil Contractors Federation came out against—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned a second and final time. The member for Mitchell is warned a second and final time.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: It's not having the desired effect, Mr Speaker. We have the Civil Contractors Federation come out against the lack of infrastructure funding in the federal budget, with their chief executive officer saying, 'Make no mistake, despite all the rhetoric to the contrary, SA has been severely short-changed on funding on major infrastructure projects needed in this state.' He went on, 'Less than a year out from a state election, last night's budget could well come back to haunt the SA Liberal opposition.' How true. The RAA has also been scathing. They said:

The lack of funding for South Road is a serious oversight. The Abbott Government committed to a complete upgrade of South Road within a 10-year period. Without a funding commitment for the next section—

it's unlikely this will be met. Of course, the Freight Council said—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is on two warnings. Did he interject just then, or was he talking to himself?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Both.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The Freight Council slammed the budget. Senator Nick Xenophon has slammed the budget, but there is one South Australian who thinks it's fantastic, of course. That simpering sycophant, the Leader of the Opposition, has once again stood up for his federal mates—

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —just like he did about chasing Holden out of town, just like he did about getting rid of the pensioner concession funding, just like he did for the $80 billion of health and education funding. There he is, out there defending—

The SPEAKER: The minister will be seated while we deal with the question of 'simpering sycophant'.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Yes, sir—completely unacceptable, way beneath the minister.

The SPEAKER: Well, the leader would have to take the point of order.

Mr Marshall: Get on with it.

The SPEAKER: Okay.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: That simpering sycophant Leader of the Opposition has not only backed up his performance on health and education cuts, chasing Holden out of town, rejoicing in the lack of pensioner concession funding from the federal government—

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: I would prefer that a point of order be made by someone with clean hands in this question time.

Mr PENGILLY: Relatively. Sir, I ask you to rule whether the minister is debating.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Well, the member for Finniss's colleagues appear to have ruled on his point of order. Minister.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Of course, there was one last contribution from the Leader of the Opposition. He said, 'I will tell you the best guarantee for more money coming to South Australia: that's a hardworking Labor government that puts the interests of South Australia first.' Oops, he did it again—he did it again.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is on two warnings. The member for Ashford.

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