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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-10-18 Daily Xml
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Hahndorf Traffic Improvement Project

Ms SAVVAS (Newland) (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Can the minister please inform the house why the government revised its approach to the Hahndorf township improvements and access project?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:51): Last month, the government announced its decision to remove the proposed interchange on the South Eastern Freeway near Hahndorf from our broader Hahndorf township improvements and access project. The opposition objected to those changes. This decision came following concerns from the community—sir, your local community—about the impact—

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen's, I might add.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —the interchange would have on the surrounding—

Mr Teague interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —they don't know who you are; that's the problem, though—

The SPEAKER: Minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —environment, heritage and local business.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We listened to the community and are now progressing a revised approach to what the former government had planned to ensure that we safeguard the environment and heritage and local businesses at Hahndorf. I am sure, Mr Speaker, you will hear from the opposition that our plan misses the mark, as you can see from their interjections, and goes against the purpose of the project. Their only concern would be the commuters looking to bypass Hahndorf and that they would ignore the needs of the Hahndorf community. Mr Speaker, I would like to read you a statement from a local business owner, by a local family, which was made following our announcement of our revised approach:

The Paech family welcomes the announcement by the State Government not to pursue the Hahndorf [interchange] option, which would have [had] a devastating impact on the iconic Beerenberg Farm.

Six generations of our family have been farming this land since 1839 and growing pick your own strawberries since the late 1970s, which has become a highly popular and world-renowned tourism experience.

It is something that my children have enjoyed growing up as well. It continues:

We consider ourselves stewards of this land and are very relieved the decision has been made to protect the natural environment by maintaining the integrity of the farmland around Hahndorf, while still delivering vital improvements to the main street.

This decision gives us certainty for the future, as we continue to invest in building a strong local business, with global reach.

We are taking a balanced approach. Our approach will balance the needs of Adelaide Hills commuters while protecting and enhancing local heritage, business and the environment. Upgrades to the Verdun and Mount Barker interchanges will reduce future traffic impacts on Hahndorf, including heavy vehicles. Now that the scope and high-level concept design have been finalised, the next step is developing a detailed design, and feedback from the community will help shape this detailed design.

The opposition have been in the media criticising our decision to spare Beerenberg. I believe we have made the right decision. We made the decision that is appropriate. I have spoken to the local federal member of parliament, and I have spoken to you, Mr Speaker, and to the local community, and it is fair to say—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: He was painting?

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: He's the member for Heysen, isn't he?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I try, but it gets difficult.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The local community has been pretty clear to the government that they don't want to see the Beerenberg farms torn up, that they want to see them maintained. We were prepared to listen despite the objections of the opposition, and despite the objections of the opposition we will maintain our path to keep those Beerenberg farms in place so that future children can go and enjoy what has been farmed there since 1839.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: Anti strawberry!

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Heysen on a supplementary.

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