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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-15 Daily Xml
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Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley) (14:15): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. What was the last correspondence between the federal infrastructure minister and this minister? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Information received by the opposition under freedom of information indicates that there has been no correspondence between the minister and the federal infrastructure minister from 1 July to 10 October this year.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:15): I will check but I speak to Catherine King regularly. I spoke to her on Monday—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: Where is the official correspondence?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —that was the last time I spoke to her.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The thing about—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Unley is warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —Labor governments is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey! Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The thing about Labor governments is we actually like each other.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Newland! Member for Badcoe! Member for Morialta! Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier is called to order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There are substantial interjections—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Hartley, you are on a final warning.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It seems my young friend did not heed the warnings of the health minister yesterday and has been drinking energy drinks again.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Zinger! Yes, the standard response.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hartley!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I talk—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I talk with the commonwealth government regularly. I talk to Chris Bowen regularly. I talk to Catherine King regularly. I have heard my young friend interject on many occasions, 'Just pick up the phone.' When I pick up the phone, he says, 'Why didn't you write? Why didn't you write it down?'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hartley!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It is getting a little bit immature. It is getting a little bit desperate. I have to say, the previous government I see now from the opposition that they are committed to this 80-20 funding as the Premier has just announced. The question I have to ask is: why wasn't the Main South Road Victor Harbor project 80-20?

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: We ask the questions!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: 'We ask the questions!'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: They were so committed to 80-20, they accepted a lower offer—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey is warned!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —but now we are in office, that’s different. It's a little bit different. Victor Harbor is not in the regions—is that what it is?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It's a little bit different, yes.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Newland!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I speak to Catherine King regularly. We have an excellent relationship. The state government and commonwealth government—when we need to disagree, we will. When we agree, we will agree. We have a competent and mature relationship, and when we were last in office under the Weatherill government we had a mature relationship with the then Liberal government as well. I have to say, I don't think—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —a childish FOI check and a question says—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hartley! Member for Florey! Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —therefore, I haven't spoken to the commonwealth government.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It's extraordinary, it's naive and it's silly.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Morialta and the member for Hartley are on final warnings. I am reluctant to use 137 so early in question time as well they may have questions that they wish to ask.

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