Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-04-30 Daily Xml

Contents

Kangaroo Island Ferry

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism, representing the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and Minister for Planning, a question on the Cape Jervis ferry terminus.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: At the 2018 state election the Liberal Party promised to extend the Cape Jervis breakwater to boost tourism and create new jobs. The promise was, and I quote from the party's own literature, to:

…extend the Cape Jervis breakwater to maximise the number of days that the Kangaroo Island ferry is able to operate to boost tourism and create new jobs. We are investing $2 million to extend the breakwater 100 metres to reduce the number of days the ferry is unable to operate due to poor weather conditions.

Our hardworking Centre Alliance colleague, the federal member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie, has been keeping a close eye on this commitment, and I know that she was pleased to receive a response to her letter on the matter from the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government. In that letter the minister stated that his department was in the process of engaging a suitably qualified consultant to investigate the feasibility of a breakwater extension. My questions are:

1. Has this consultant now been appointed and, if so, when?

2. Were tenders called for the consultancy?

3. Will the investigatory work undertaken by this consultant be made public and, if so, when?

4. How does the government intend to spend the $2 million to best serve the communities of Kangaroo Island and Cape Jervis and other South Australians who use the port facilities?

5. How many tenders have been received for the contract to operate the ferry service from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw and when will the successful tenderer be announced?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:00): I thank the honourable member for his question. It's interesting, I was at a function at Goolwa only this weekend and ran into the member for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie, and also the very hardworking candidate for the Liberal Party in this federal election, Georgina Downer. Neither of them—but especially Ms Sharkie—spoke to me about this particular issue.

As the honourable member spoke about, it is really a matter for the very hardworking Minister for Planning and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, the Hon. Stephan Knoll. As there is a range of questions around the tender, tendering and a tender for the ferry service, I think it is best served if I take them on notice, refer them to the Hon. Stephan Knoll and bring back an answer.