Ms BURNET – I want to go back to the stadium proposal, and appendix N in the report. I don’t know if you read that one. The executive summary has a significant number of projects and the costs associated with each of those, things like the northern access road, which is touted as $33.9 million, the event bus plaza, $16.2 million. It talks about a Collins Street redesign and a possible active transport bridge. There are considerable costs associated with those. In all, there’s a cost between $174.3 million and $186.78 million. Some of these have not been funded. How do you intend to prioritise these projects?
Mr ROCKLIFF – I’ve covered this a fair bit today, earlier on the day we had Anne Beach from the Macquarie Point Development Corporation here, who would be more than happy to provide a one‑on‑one briefing with you, I am sure. We talked about private investment opportunities and unlocking that potential, but this is a broad urban renewal project.
Ms BURNET – An expensive one.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Well, yeah, but we have to grow with the times and get with the times, frankly, and ensure that we do provide opportunities through investment in key enabling infrastructure. The stadium is part of that, but the precinct, whatever was built there, albeit the stadium, infrastructure needs movement of people in and out quickly, accepting that would need upgrades of infrastructure. We need upgrades of infrastructure right across the state as the population increases and things are built and those types of matters.
Ms BURNET – I do not think that has really answered the questions. Obviously, making a city better is one thing, but as far as the priority, this list is long and it’s vast. It includes park and ride, it –
Mr ROCKLIFF – It’s great. There was no park and ride. You’d be happy with that.
Ms BURNET – I am happy with park and ride. It’s a considerable expense in relation to delivering this project.
Mr ROCKLIFF – It is good for the people. Park and ride facilities, it’s great, reduces traffic congestion.
Ms BURNET – Premier, it is the cost and I will be asking the Transport minister plenty of questions around getting people to and from places.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Often I get questions on the right location: ‘Is it this?’ and ‘It should be out in the sticks’, and all those sorts of things which would add to the challenge when it comes to traffic congestion and getting people there. If you go to Melbourne, the MCG, the Rod Laver Arena, Adelaide Oval, stadia infrastructure very close to the CBD and other amenities. We are in walking distance from hotels in the CBD, entertainment venues in Salamanca and elsewhere, and no doubt there will be more close to the stadia as well, where people can walk or use other forms of mobility to these areas rather than drive a car and cause all sorts of traffic congestion. Of course, bus public transport will be critical to this. Not only buses but also the ferry network as well.
