Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-05-29 Daily Xml

Contents

Overland Train Service

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:25): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: Since becoming minister, has the Minister for Tourism met with Great Southern Rail, which are the operators of The Overland, to discuss the impact that GlobeLink may have on its operations in providing a railway passenger service between Adelaide and Melbourne?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:25): My recollection is that I have had a meeting with Great Southern Rail, but I will check the records. We had a range of meetings in the first 30 or 40 days. It is interesting, the members opposite are obsessed with GlobeLink and it is nice to know that they have an interest in regional South Australia.

The Hon. J.E. Hanson: It's tourism, Ridgy.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The member opposite interjects 'tourism', but I will check my records about whether I have met with Great Southern Rail. As members opposite would be aware, there has been quite an avalanche of people wanting to meet with us to talk about the exciting plans the Marshall government has for South Australia, our economic future, how we want to get the economy moving to try to get us off the bottom of the league table in pretty much all indicators.

I will double-check my records, but we are certainly meeting with stakeholders on a range of issues on a regular basis and, of particular interest to the members opposite, the lead minister for that particular project will be the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government and Minister for Planning. The honourable member asked the question last week and I said I would take questions relating to that on notice, and I did today. So if I can bring back some further information, I will, but I will also refer that question to the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government.