Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. South Australia has 11.8 per cent of the nation's local roads and seven per cent of the population; however, we receive less than five per cent of the federal funding towards large transport infrastructure projects. South Australia is grossly underfunded for road infrastructure, and in 2014 we lost the supplementary local road funding that addressed this inequity. During the devastating recent storms my electorate suffered over $10 million worth of damage to local roads, a cost my community can ill afford. Will the government urgently review their funding model to make it fairer for South Australia, and will the government consider an urgent one-off grant to help repair the badly damaged roads in my electorate of Mayo?

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to thank the member for her question on an important local issue. It was certainly a devastating storm that occurred in South Australia. Our thoughts are with the people in your community and, more broadly, the people affected across South Australia. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the emergency service crews throughout South Australia for the work they did in assisting people in their time of need.

The Australian government has worked very closely with local state authorities in South Australia to help provide assistance to individuals, families and local councils who have been impacted by the storms across the state. That does include financial assistance for local councils, which will assist in the repairing of eligible infrastructure such as roads, as the member indicated—roads damaged as a direct result of the storms and returning them to their predisaster standard. Of course, I would be very happy to meet with the local member, at some stage in the future, to discuss some civic infrastructure issues in her local community.

I would note that through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, which have been made available to assist local councils, such as the Adelaide Hills, Alexandrina and the Barossa, the federal government is assisting with removal of debris from residential properties to make them safe and habitable, some personal and financial counselling, counterdisaster operations and the restoration of essential public assets.

Opposition Member:

An opposition member interjecting—

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am surprised that the shadow minister is interjecting on such an important issue for the people of South Australia. As the member would know, the coalition government has already provided in the order of $3.2 billion through the Roads to Recovery Program—a program which has been very successful not only across Australia but throughout South Australia.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler, on a point of order. State the point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to relevance. It was a very specific question about the supplementary funding—

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler will pause for a second. I am trying to hear your point of order. I cannot hear your point of order due to the interjections of those on my right, particularly the minister for innovation. If I could hear your point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to relevance. The member for Mayo asked a very specific question about the supplementary funding, which was available for South Australia for years, that was cut by the coalition government. That is what she was asking to be restored.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler has made his point of order. He can resume his seat.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

The Leader of the House is delaying the House.

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated to the member for Mayo, I would be very happy to meet with her and discuss any specific infrastructure issues of concern following the storms in South Australia. As I indicated, the local councils have received assistance through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. They also receive ongoing assistance through the $3.2 billion in the Roads to Recovery Program.

I also note that the Australian government made some commitments in the member's electorate during the election campaign. We were very pleased to announce, during the election campaign, in the order of $14 million for the upgrade of the Thomas Foods connecting route. I am sure the member supports that project, and I can assure her the Turnbull-Joyce government, which is committed to delivering every one of its promises made in the election campaign, will be delivering on that project in the seat of Mayo. This investment will allow for the upgrade of roads between Mount Barker and Lobethal to allow for B-double access and will improve the safety and efficiency of the heavy vehicle sector.

The member would be interested to know that this is a government which has committed in the order of $3 billion until 2020 in infrastructure in South Australia. We will continue to invest in the future of South Australia. In closing, I would like to acknowledge that the work we are doing between Darlington and Torrens, from Torrens to Torrens and on the Northern Connector will end up creating about 1,300 jobs in the South Australian community. So I look forward to working with the member for Mayo on her specific infrastructure needs and commend the— (Time expired)