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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-11-12 Daily Xml
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State Debt

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport a question regarding the rising interest expenses referred to in the Auditor-General's Report 9 of 2025.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: The Auditor-General's Report 9 of 2025 states, and I quote verbatim:

Rising debt and interest costs, mainly due to the scale of the State's capital program, may limit the State's fiscal capacity to respond to economic challenges and its ability to deliver the same level of services in the future.

That is the direct quote from the Auditor-General. My questions to the minister are:

1. Is the minister concerned that the debt and interest costs of the capital program may limit our state's fiscal capacity to deliver services, as the Auditor-General asserts?

2. Secondly, what measures is the minister taking to manage the rising debt level?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Autism) (14:51): I think, when you look at the Auditor-General's Report, particularly in regard to our Torrens to Darlington project, they provide very little criticism. In fact, considering the size of that project, it was seen as being very well managed. This is, I think, a good reflection on the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.

They have a lot of projects underway; you are right. My understanding is that $27 billion worth of projects are underway at the moment, that are important projects to our state. I don't know which ones you might be suggesting over there that we shouldn't be proceeding with, but the projects that we are looking forward to investing in are the ones that are currently underway that are going to make a substantial difference for our community, including the Torrens to Darlington, which is the state's largest project that we have had.

It is a substantial investment of $15.4 billion and is finally going to finish off a connection that has been long talked about. It will enable us to have a nonstop freeway all the way from Old Noarlunga to Gawler. Yes, there are projects that we are doing in this state. They are important projects and ones we look forward to continuing to achieve.

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