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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-04-03 Daily Xml
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City Deal Funding

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Why has Townsville been able to secure more funding for its City Deal over the forward estimates in comparison to Adelaide?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:07): I tell you what Townsville don't have: they don't have $90 billion—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —worth of defence building in its state. For some reason the opposition want to go back to their tried and failed strategies of talking down the relationship with Canberra. The reality is that we have a new relationship with Canberra, and it is a relationship with Canberra that is delivering an unprecedented level of defence projects, a new space agency for South Australia and significant investment in infrastructure, and that infrastructure, which is covered off in last night's budget, will be transformative for our state.

Let me tell you, sir, in the lead-up to the budget, which was handed down in September last year, those opposite were out there with their fearmongering, telling people there was going to be this massive infrastructure black hole—an infrastructure black hole that would carry through for years and thousands of people would be out of work. They were so disappointed—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —when the budget came down because it showed a record investment in infrastructure.

The SPEAKER: I believe the question was about Townsville and relating it to money here, and the point of order is for debate?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir, and, of course, protecting the heritage infrastructure of this building with the Premier thumping the table hysterically.

The SPEAKER: I see much thumping on my left as well. That is definitely not a point of order, but the first one is meritorious. I ask the Premier to, please, come back to the substance of the question. Thank you.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: South Australia has done extraordinarily well.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: My argument, which is supported by evidence, demonstrates unequivocally that South Australia has done incredibly well with its negotiations with the federal government since we came to power. The negotiations that we have concluded with the federal government will have—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —very significant effects on our state for generations to come. I would particularly like to acknowledge the contribution of the minister for planning, transport and infrastructure. He didn't get to have a Christmas break. He didn't get to have a Christmas break because he had his nose down, his tail up, working as hard as he could to secure as much money—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —as possible for South Australia.

Mr Picton interjecting:

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

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: This incredible infrastructure, above the odds compared to any other jurisdiction in Australia, will have incredible effects here in metropolitan Adelaide, with great congestion-busting projects for South Australia. We want to get ahead of the game. We do want to increase population in South Australia, but we don't want the problems that have been seen and experienced in other jurisdictions, where they have not kept up in terms of infrastructure.

We are getting ahead of the game, and I want to congratulate the minister on that, but I most importantly want to thank him for the work that he and other members on our side have done, lobbying and arguing in a cogent way with the federal government for more money for regional South Australia. They talk about Townsville. Those opposite—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —were in for 16 years, and we saw over a long period of time a decline in population in many of our regional centres.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Well, we do not accept that. We want to be building our regional population in South Australia, but we know to do that we've got to give them the roads that they deserve, the hospitals that they deserve, the health system that they deserve, the mobile phone coverage that they deserve, the schools that they deserve, and the involvement in decision-making that they were denied by those opposite over 16 years. We are here for all South Australians, and yesterday's budget provided plenty for regional South Australia.

The SPEAKER: I warn for a second and final time the member for Wright. I call the member for Reynell and the Leader of the Opposition to order. The leader has the call.

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