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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-02 Daily Xml
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Commonwealth Infrastructure Funding

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding regional productivity.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Yesterday, the federal infrastructure minister announced that she would review infrastructure spending, including half a billion dollars of future investment in South Australia's roads. Civil Contractors Federation South Australia CEO Rebecca Pickering said, and I quote:

This review may lead to decades of delays for these projects that are crucial for the advancement of South Australia.

My question to the minister is: has the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development written to the federal infrastructure minister to ask for a guarantee that the infrastructure review will not affect the Truro bypass project, which is a critical freight route for South Australia, and, if not, when will she?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:42): I thank the honourable member for managing to ask two questions in this question time out of three that are directly relevant to the state jurisdiction.

An honourable member: Two out of three isn't bad.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Two out of three I guess is not too bad, but getting to number three and we need to go towards what is a federal review, as she actually said in the preamble to her question.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: This government knows all too well the serious underfunding and underscoping of projects that were done by the former Marshall and Morrison Liberal governments, which, for example, had dramatically underestimated the cost of delivering the north-south corridor project, according to my advice.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order, both sides!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The fact of the matter is that this is a commonwealth review, and it is necessitated by the infrastructure program that the Albanese government has inherited across the nation. I am advised by my colleague in the other place, the appropriate minister, that of course as a government we will be working with the federal government throughout this process, as will all other state and territory governments.

I do think it was interesting: I was listening on radio this morning, and we heard the member for Barker discussing this matter.

An honourable member: Who?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The member for Barker.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: He's on the front bench, isn't he?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Is he on the front bench? Isn't he the second cousin, once removed, of a shadow minister assistant to—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —something or other. I think that's basically what the present title of Mr Pasin is.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hanson! The Leader of the Government! There's no need for your conversations.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: And I recall—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Girolamo! Minister, sit down.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hanson, the Hon. Ms Girolamo, enough! Minister, please conclude your remarks so we can move on.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Certainly. Thank you. I think the member for West Torrens in the other place, when he was on radio this morning, referred to 'all the sort of hysteria from Mr Pasin is a bit much'. I think that's quite an interesting description.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: It will be, I think, counterproductive to be speculating about recommendations before this national review has even commenced. It has not even commenced, Mr President. It was announced in the last few days, and we certainly don't intend to pre-empt what may or may not be considered because this is, after all, a federal review. For those opposite, a federal review means that it is conducted by the federal government. The key there, the hint, the giveaway there is—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —the word 'federal' review.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order, the Hon. Ms Girolamo!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I appreciate that those opposite are maybe not very familiar with the difference in jurisdictions—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Sit down, minister. I would like to hear the answer, and I would like you to conclude, and I would like to hear it in silence.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I am advised that as a state government we will continue to be making the case for all of our infrastructure priorities.

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