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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-10-13 Daily Xml
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Northern Connector

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:21): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation. Can the minister tell the house how the state government is ensuring that the $1 billion Northern Connector road project is supporting local jobs?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:21): It's a very good question and quite frankly I hope the honourable member's talents aren't recognised as quickly as the Hon. Andrew McLachlan's—not quite yet.

I have some information on this exceptionally important project. The Weatherill government is increasing the weighting it places on local jobs when determining tenders from 5 per cent or 10 per cent to 15 per cent. This will ensure that throughout South Australia when projects are being delivered workers will be benefitting in a more significant way. This means that companies that use more local workers will be more likely to receive contracts. These new rules will apply to all contracts worth $220,000 or more.

In a boost to northern Adelaide, projects in Adelaide's north will now have a local jobs weighting content at 20 per cent in tender considerations. This will mean that projects such as the $985 million Northern Connector will create even more local jobs.

The Northern Connector, a jointly-funded state and federal project, will provide a new nonstop motorway connecting the Northern Expressway and the South Road Superway. This will allow a 43-kilometre nonstop journey from Gawler to Regency Park, making the Hon. John Dawkins's trips to Regency Park nonstop and much quicker, which I am sure he will greatly appreciate.

The government's investment in the North-South Corridor, including Torrens to Torrens, Darlington and the Northern Connector will together support something in the order of 1,330 jobs each year during construction. In addition to providing hundreds of jobs during construction and improving travel times for northern Adelaide residents, the Northern Connector will provide improved freight access between Adelaide's north and Port Adelaide.

This will have many benefits, providing more efficient transport for industry and consequently allowing businesses to look at employing more workers and providing safer roads for all users. The government is also building a new $55 million Gawler East collector link road to support residential development, not only creating local jobs building the road but supporting construction jobs as well.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins interjecting:

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: It is a testament, obviously, to the advocacy of the Hon. John Dawkins that there is so much infrastructure happening in Adelaide's north; everybody listens to the Hon. John Dawkins. We are also supporting northern jobs for a number of important budget measures, including the allocation of $2 million to develop a food park, a move that will boost our food manufacturing sector, a sector that has grown every year for the last 17 years. I note the Hon. John Dawkins is continuing to interject. It is completely out of order, Mr President. He has been here long enough to know better.

We will be spending, as a government, $10 million on improving local schools and children's centres across northern Adelaide, not only to improve the quality of our education but to create local jobs in construction. Likewise, rolling out public housing renewal in the northern suburbs to the tune of $25 million will provide better quality housing stock and local jobs. We are focused on creating jobs and at the same time improving lives. Tenders for all of these investments in the north will be subject to these improved local jobs weightings. We are committed to creating jobs in northern Adelaide and this investment in local jobs is an important part of the government's strategy to address the decline in the automotive manufacturing industry.

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