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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-03-05 Daily Xml
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Infrastructure Projects

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My question is to the Premier. What new shovel-ready projects has the state government submitted to the federal government for consideration as part of the proposed economic stimulus package?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:33): Yesterday, we had word from the Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison, as well as receiving information from minister Alan Tudge in the federal parliament, that they were considering and are considering measures to help stimulate our economy while we deal with the effects of coronavirus here in South Australia.

We are seeing very clearly unfold now what is going to be a difficult economic situation that we need to work our way through. As a government, we are very keen to provide a strong response. Those discussions started early afternoon and went through to later in the afternoon. Here we stand at 2 o'clock the next day. We have already made significant progress in relation to that.

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is warned.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: In fact, I had a meeting with my department this morning about the kinds of projects that we can put forward to this. It is something that we are going to very rapidly progress as a government. I want to say this: we are going to work with the federal government to make sure that we can help our economy weather this storm, but it is also true to say that we are actually providing extremely strong stimulus right as we speak—$12.9 billion of infrastructure projects that we've got on the table in the next four years.

We know with these infrastructure projects that a lot of the more complex ones need longer lead times. It's why, for instance, we have done our homework to get the Joy Baluch Bridge and Port Wakefield duplication off the ground, already out there and working in the field. The Regency Road to Pym Street section of the north-south corridor, Golden Grove Road to Paradise park-and-ride—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee can leave for 45 minutes under 137A.

The honourable member for Lee having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Mr Speaker, in your electorate, the Newton-Graves intersection, which I understand is extremely near to being completed, is also helping to do that. We have projects going on all over the state as part of our record $12.9 billion infrastructure program. I have been working extremely—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order, minister, if you could resume your seat for one moment. Point of order?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The point of order is debate, sir. The question was: which shovel-ready projects has the state government submitted to the commonwealth as part of their stimulus? The minister is talking about a forward estimates $12.9 billion worth of infrastructure.

The SPEAKER: I have the bit about shovel-ready projects, but I will listen carefully to the minister's answer to ensure he sticks to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: When we talk about stimulus, infrastructure in capital spending is a key way that governments can help to stimulate the economy. The way that you stimulate the economy more than it otherwise would have been stimulated is to put more money into infrastructure projects. It's why over these four years of the forward estimates we will see $12.9 billion spent. That is a billion dollars more than anything those opposite could manage in their time in government and any four-year period.

That is stimulus. That is stimulus of some one billion dollars over and above what has happened previously. As part of that extra one billion dollar stimulus, a lot of those projects are actually projects that the Minister for Education and I are working on to help stimulate South Australia's economy by building the schools necessary to deliver the services that our kids need and want. It also has the added benefit of providing job stimulus in our economy.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: I allowed the minister to go on for another minute. This is debate again, sir. We asked what shovel-ready projects the government has submitted to the Treasurer's new stimulus package.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order; I don't uphold it at this stage.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: The projects that the Minister for Education and I are working on are shovel ready, and they are precisely why I am talking about them in this context.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: We are getting on with delivering our record $12.9 billion infrastructure program. It is very clear now that there is going to be work done. There is already work being done to make sure that everything that we can bring forward is brought forward and that we work with the federal government to make sure that we can help ride through what is now going to be a difficult time. These economic headwinds are upon us, but as a government we are reacting and reacting extremely quickly to deal with—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: debate.

The SPEAKER: I am not going to allow frivolous or vexatious points of order. I do have the point of order about debate, and I assure the member for West Torrens that I am ready to act if the minister steps out of line. Would he like to conclude his answer? Is he done?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Mr Speaker, I am just providing information to the house. If members opposite don't like it, then they can ask some different questions. I think that South Australians realise that $12.9 billion is a fantastic investment in jobs here in South Australia.

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