Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Yesterday, ahead of today's federal budget, the government announced $200 million of federal funding for transport infrastructure for the Hahndorf township and surrounding district traffic issues. Deputy Prime Minister, can you confirm that Centre Alliance has negotiated $15 million of that $200 million for the solution to the Verdun interchange traffic challenges; and would you, please, provide further details of this project to my community?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Mayo for her advocacy for her constituents, and her advocacy of easing traffic congestion and making sure that people get where they need to be sooner and more safely and that they get home sooner and more safely. And that's what the Liberals and Nationals have done all the way through, with a $100 billion rolling infrastructure plan. Yesterday, we added $7½ billion in new money to what we're doing. There's $625 million for South Australia, and I'll get to the specific details of your question, Member for Mayo. There was funding for 11 new projects announced in that initiative yesterday and funding for one existing project, the Goodwood and Torrens junctions project for grade separation.

But, specifically, going to the member for Mayo's question, she is no doubt very pleased with the $200 million commitment announced for the Hahndorf township improvements project. This will address, as she says, access issues from the South Eastern Freeway into the region. It's a great region. It's a great tourism region. I've been there myself. I know all too well about this particular region and I know why the member for Mayo comes to this place and advocates hard for it. The region includes the Verdun and Hahndorf townships. We've fully funded the Hahndorf Township Strategic Planning Study, which is due to be completed very soon by the South Australian government, which will detail the scope and the design of the most appropriate solution for the region—because, when this federal government does a project, we put the planning, we put the scoping, we put the detailed design into the project, not like those opposite. When they had the opportunity—

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will pause for a second. I have asked the member for Rankin to stop interjecting four or five times. Can I say to him: the week is young; just cease interjecting. You're interjecting constant and loudly.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, we fully funded the Hahndorf strategic planning study. In addition, we are already investing hundreds of millions of dollars into the member's electorate. I know how appreciative she is but, moreover, how appreciative her constituents are for those measures. There's $200 million towards the Princes Highway corridor in South Australia. I speak with Corey Wingard, the minister, very regularly. I know that he is also aware of the project to which the member refers and for which she has advocated.

I speak to Premier Steven Marshall—who has been a tower of strength through COVID-19—on a weekly basis about infrastructure needs in South Australia, about what is needed for that fine state. There's more than $29 million through community programs for the seat of Mayo and more than $6 billion for the Building Better Regions Fund. Again, there's $200 million going towards that fund, with round 5 being announced as part of this budget. That's delivery in action. I look forward to having further discussions with the member for Mayo about projects for her area.