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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-03-18 Daily Xml
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Gawler Line Electrification

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Transport. What specific tender process is undertaken for contracts to supply replacement buses for the duration of the now delayed Gawler rail electrification project? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Ms BEDFORD: I understand that SA Tenders and Contracts detail the tender process to operate regular bus services in metro Adelaide; however, information is scarce regarding how the contract was awarded for the rail replacement buses. Similar concerns have been raised with me in the past regarding school bus contracts that leave South Australian-owned small businesses seemingly out in the cold.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:19): I am very happy to take that on notice and get the exact detail back for the member. Of course, as you would be aware, the Gawler electrification rail line project is a huge project that we have taken on. I think I have mentioned in this place before that the previous government signed a contract at one minute to midnight before the 2018 election, with 5 per cent design—if you can believe that. With 5 per cent design they signed a contract which, again, had more holes in it than a big chunk of Swiss cheese. We have had to go away and look at that.

What they did when they signed the contract was quite phenomenal. The analogy given to me was that it would be like signing a contract for a house but the variances were in the doors, door handles and windows—all the things that you need. That was the contract they signed, so we had to go away and tidy it up. We have done that and we are getting on with this project.

The people in the northern suburbs would have felt so let down when those opposite were in government because they had this project on again, off again, on again and off again like you wouldn't believe, but we have got on with the project and we are delivering it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: We understand—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Sixteen years and they gave them nothing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will resume his seat.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —and we are getting on with the project and they don't like it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat. The member for Playford will leave for 20 minutes in accordance with standing order 137A.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: I warn the member for Hurtle Vale. I warn the member for Ramsay. The minister has the call.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Again, to be clear, under them nothing—nothing happened. We have picked up that project and we are delivering. We are putting in the catenary wires; we are electrifying the train line. On that side of the house, they did nothing and they still want to chortle on about what is happening with this project. Again, we have made it clear. I feel for the people of the north, I really do. They had been let down so many times by those opposite when they were in government they are probably surprised that we are getting on and delivering this project. Again, to talk through what is happening as far as the buses are concerned is that we do have substitute buses.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: We know that is a little bit awkward, and again I feel for the people of the northern suburbs, but when this is complete—and we are completing it; they have done nothing, let's be clear on that again—they will have an electrified train line, and we look forward to rolling that out for them. It is going to be greatly appreciated. However, through that we do have to work through a few things.

This project is delivering jobs, jobs for people in the north, as we get on with delivering for the people of the northern suburbs. On this side of the house, we like to govern for everyone. We make sure that we are delivering for everyone, and we are delivering for the people of the north and they will have an electrified rail line and they will have better services, which points me to better services: better services that we committed to at the last election—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Elizabeth!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —and we are building the infrastructure that will deliver that. The more they go on, the more they raise the fact that they have put this on and put this off, and put this on again. It is just laughable that they can even make any noise about this at all.

Again, here we are, delivering what matters to the people of South Australia, what matters to the people of the northern suburbs. We thank them for their patience as we work through this. We will make sure we get this done. We will make sure they have better services on our train line going forward into the future.

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