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

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): My question is, again, to the Premier. Does the Premier agree with the federal government's proposed approach to funding infrastructure projects? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The federal infrastructure minister announced yesterday that the federal government would move to a preference of 50-50 funding of major projects with the states rather than the current 80-20 model.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:12): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I would answer it in two parts. The first question is about the generality in general terms around: do we support the federal government's approach to infrastructure expenditure? To the extent that that approach extends to not making decisions about the expenditure of taxpayer funds in such a way that are genuinely contrary to the interests of the nation then, yes, I support it.

What I think we saw from the dying days of the Morrison government was some of the most hyper-politicisation of—

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

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned for a second time.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —this country's infrastructure that our country has ever seen.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hartley!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Some of the boondoggle projects that we saw in many parts of the Eastern States were, in many respects, unjustifiable, and I think that has now—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Adelaide, member for Florey, member for Morialta, the Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: With respect to the 50-50 arrangement, we have seen a number of different iterations of funding arrangements from the commonwealth with respect to infrastructure, some 80-20—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is on a final warning.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is called to order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The exchange between the member for Morialta and the Treasurer will cease.

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

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, you are on a final warning if you continue to interject.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Davenport, order! The Premier has the call. The member for Morialta is on a final warning.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: In respect of the 80-20/50-50 question, we have seen the commonwealth apply different formulas over the years across governments, depending on the project. Naturally, the state government, as I imagine would be the case for every state government around the country, would be far more inclined to do arrangements with the commonwealth on an 80-20 basis than a 50-50 basis, notwithstanding the fact that in many projects in the past, again, across different iterations of governments of both political persuasions, 50-50 arrangements have been in place. But, clearly, our preference would be for the commonwealth to maintain a policy of keeping 80-20 available to them as a funding option with states.

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