BUILDING THIS STATE

This state urgently requires a huge public and private investment into our transport infrastructure to generate employment and stimulate growth.

A huge focus on this spending should be on rail which has (in this state) been let go to such a condition that South Australia is now the only main land state without a regional railway network for passengers and even some freight lines are in danger of permanently being closed.  All this at a time when other states and other countries are spending billions on their railways to move both freight and passengers.  In many countries rail travel is in direct competition with airlines for passengers, like the link from Paris to London with their high speed TGV.  Alas, Australia and in particular SA have nothing even close in comparison.

Lets look at freight lines.  Why on Earth would we even consider closing freight lines into the Mallee to places like Pinnaroo and Tookeyerta, near Loxton and thus place thousands of extra truck movements to negotiate the SE Freeway and the treacherous down hill run.  Why?  Railways are safer in this regard and reduce the amount of trucks required on the roads.  Don't get me wrong, trucking plays a vital role in moving freight as rail cannot cover everything, but for long haul, one cannot beat rail.  If it is operated properly.

We need the freight connector railway to be built from Port Adelaide to Virginia.  We also require new freight lines to be opened or re-opened in the mid north and Copper Coast.

As for country passenger services, they need to be re-instated to Whyalla, Wallaroo, Victor Harbor, Mount Gambier, Renmark and Broken Hill.  These services should use new or existing rail corridors and they will open up the area's served to tourism and commuters.  The use of high speed 'Sprinter' railcars like those used in Victoria would be ideal.

Suburban rail services to Nuriootpa should be commenced as soon as possible.  The line is already there, however, it would require an overhaul.  A passenger service as part of the existing suburban network would provide huge benefits for the Barossa Valley.  Intermediate stations could be located at Sandy Creek, Lyndoch and Tanunda.

Re-instating a passenger service from Gawler to Osborne should also be considered as there is a huge amount of traffic using the Port Expressway and Salisbury Highway.  Public transport does not cater for this market since the former GMH-Outer Harbor services were removed nearly 30 years ago.  The line is still there and just sits there rusting away.  To service the area's intermediate stations would be constructed at Wingfield (South Rd), Wingfield West (Hanson Rd), Rosewater (Grand Junction Rd).

The Northern Connector should be fast tracked for construction and be constructed in conjunction with the adjacent new railway.  There is also a huge number of road improvements required around the metro area and in the country as well as the continual maintenance which sadly has not been kept up with over the past decade or more.

The time is now to spend money to re-invigorate our economy in this state.  Partnerships with private sector should be considered to get these projects off the ground.  One sometimes has to spend money to make money.  Our wonderful state has so much potential but it is sadly going to waste.

Well, that's my opinion.