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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-16 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Infrastructure Investment Program

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Acting Premier. When did the Acting Premier find out about the results of the federal government's 90-day review into the Infrastructure Investment Program? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: This morning, the federal government revealed about $500 million of funding is to be cut from the South Australian infrastructure project list, including the Truro freight route, Hahndorf access upgrades, the Main South Road productivity package, Old Belair Road upgrade at Mitcham and the Onkaparinga Valley Road upgrade at Nairne.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:03): I note the Leader of the Opposition did not mention the $2.7 billion just put into South Australia. However, the state government received confirmation today of the commonwealth government's plans. The commonwealth government plans obviously are disappointing. We had money budgeted for all these projects. We were prepared to do our bit. We had done the detailed design work, we were doing more detailed design work, and in some cases we had even compulsorily acquired properties.

I know this is bitterly disappointing for some communities, especially those in your community, sir. But I do point out that the Onkaparinga Valley Road works, which were budgeted for by the commonwealth government for just over $2 million, I understand from estimates from my department that those works could have been nearly 10 times the cost, which makes you think members opposite were telling people that they could deliver projects for a fraction of the cost.

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Perhaps—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —next time, members opposite, rather than just plonking money and giving it a name, will actually do the detailed design work, will actually—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister.

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I think those references to leashes are—you're better than that. I am disappointed; these are important projects. The Hahndorf township improvements would have seen upgrading of the Mount Barker interchange, a very important piece of work. We would have seen an upgrading of the Verdun interchange, a very important piece of work. You would have seen an extension to the Pioneer Women's Trail. You would have seen an updated car park facility at Verdun.

At Truro, sir, you would have seen some very good works done, that were funded 80-20, although I do point out that I have been lobbied by Mr Pasin, and members of this house on the opposition benches, who called for us to actually build a dual-lane highway rather than having a single carriageway to do it. I point out that the $202 million allocated to the Truro bypass project would have been insufficient to do the works, as found by the commonwealth's infrastructure review.

Here it is again: good infrastructure works that need to be done that are important for this state are underfunded to try to get the announcement value, to go out there and say, politically: here is the benefit for the Marshall government to have this announcement, not put enough money in, not do the detailed design work, and then—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Morialta!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —afterwards say, 'Well, how dare you come up with problems?'

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Our view on these cuts is they are disappointing. I have made that known to the commonwealth government. I have said that publicly just now alongside the Treasurer, when we voiced our disappointment, but, at the same time, we voiced our gratitude for $2.7 billion.

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