Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to speak in the adjournment debate on matters to do with my electorate. I have the great pleasure to table two petitions that have been taken in my electorate. The first of those is a petition about the Waterfall Gully Road upgrade, which I raised last year. The second is a petition about water and the South Australian government’s failure to secure the water supply of the city of Adelaide.

With respect to the first petition, Waterfall Gully has been an unfortunate bugbear in my electorate for far too long. The same part of the road has been the scene of fatalities and, more recently, very serious accidents. On 25 February 2007 a cyclist was killed on Waterfall Gully Road. The transport safety audit said the cause of the crash was inconclusive, but the residents of Waterfall Gully and other members of the community in Adelaide know full well that the road is dangerous. When a road leads to a fatality there is a need for action to be taken.

More recently, a second cyclist was knocked unconscious and had his collarbone broken on 8 January 2009. On 25 October 2007 a cyclist was injured after falling off their bike near the place where the fatal accident occurred in February 2007. Waterfall Gully Road is in desperate need of upgrade. Carmel Zollo and Patrick Conlon, who are the state ministers responsible for transport and road safety, have said that works will not begin in 2008-09. Vickie Chapman, the state member for Bragg, has said the patch-up jobs are clearly not working and we need a major project to commence ASAP. Tragically, until the state government takes the upgrade of Waterfall Gully Road seriously we will not see the kinds of improvements that we need to avoid fatalities and injuries in the future.

As for water, I have spoken on it many times in this House and the petition reiterates my deep concern that the state government are getting water wrong in South Australia. They have dragged their feet on desalination for far too long and they have most recently announced another scoping study into how to save the Lower Lakes. What the Lower Lakes need is not more studies but action. They need an action plan that will secure the water supply, that will mean that the Lower Lakes do not need to be flooded by sea water. That is the plan that we know that Peter Garrett and the state government in South Australia have up their sleeves but it is not a policy that we will support. We believe instead that a proper action plan needs to be put in place. (Time expired)

The petitions read as follows—

To the Honourable Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament.

The following citizens of Australia draw to the attention of the House that there is a vital need for Waterfall Gully Road, Waterfall Gully, South Australia to be upgraded urgently to restore this road to enable both vehicle and pedestrian traffic to use this road safely.

We the undersigned are aware that the State Government have allowed Waterfall Gully Road to deteriorate to such an extent that is has become dangerous for vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Waterfall Gully Road leads to one of Adelaide’s popular tourist attractions, Waterfall Gully. Many tourists visit this site and also local residents use this road for jogging, walking and cycling.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to support this important community issue and encourage the State Government of South Australia to ensure that Waterfall Gully Road is repaired immediately.

from 145 citizens

To the Honourable Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament.

The following citizens of Australia draw to the attention of the House that there is a need for a coherent and complete water infrastructure plan for all South Australia.

We the undersigned call on the South Australian Government to:

• Review their current approach to water restrictions that appear to hurt domestic users of water without doing the necessary works to secure Adelaide’s water supply through desalination or other feasible options;
• Consider its priorities that sees it investing scarce taxpayer dollars in the extension of the tram line from Victoria Square in the city rather than in building infrastructure to secure Adelaide’s water supply; and
• Take seriously the need to secure Adelaide’s water supply rather than seeking to blame the Australian Government for an area of State Government responsibility.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to support this important community issue and encourage the State Government of South Australia to develop a comprehensive water infrastructure plan.

from 1,382 citizens

Petitions received.