Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

Well, I guess it worked out well for Western Australians. But it didn't work out well for South Australians, Senator Gallacher—I take your interjection. That's another big problem, and that's something that I undertake to address when we do come back, perhaps in the next parliament.

So, summing up, I think the budget has some goodies in there. I am keen to see what Mr Shorten will offer and what his plan is as well, as the electorate will be watching. I'm grateful for the infrastructure spend, but I don't think it's well targeted. We have to do better; we have to plan our infrastructure better around the projects that will get this country moving along and get South Australia moving in the right direction. We've got to make sure we promote our regions in South Australia—the Mount Gambiers, the Riverlands, the Whyallas, the Port Piries, the Cedunas, the Port Lincolns. In order to do that, we need to invest properly. We need to have a plan. So it's a reasonable job by the government for most of Australia, but I think South Australia has actually missed out here, and that's of major concern to me.