Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

After watching the Treasurer deliver the budget last night, I cannot help but think this government has perfected the art of announcements—announcing policies and infrastructure projects but announcing very little on delivery. Last night we heard once again that the North-South Corridor infrastructure project in Adelaide was going to be funded and completed. We have heard this over and over again. This was a promise from Tony Abbott in the lead-up to the 2013 election. It was announced by Joe Hockey in the 2014 budget. It was announced in the 2015 budget, the 2016 budget, the 2017 budget, the 2018 budget, the 2019 budget, the 2020 budget and now in the 2021 budget. We've had the same announcement eight times, yet the Torrens to Anzac Highway section of the project, which is in the electorate of Adelaide, is yet to start. This is a project that this government has announced over and over again. In fact on radio this morning the Liberal Treasurer of South Australia, Rob Lucas—I was on air with him—said there is nothing new in this; this has been announced over and over and it is only $1 billion per year for all infrastructure projects in South Australia. This project's cost is $8.9 billion. This is pie in the sky, a furphy, another reannouncement. The government has perfected the art of announcements, the art of marketing and the art of sales.

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