Transport Minister Stephan Knoll supports Parliament investigation into roadworks collapse at Darlington

After two sections of the Darlington upgrade fell apart last week, Transport Minister Stephan Knoll now says an Opposition-backed investigation should go ahead to find what went wrong.

• Damning photos show no reinforcing on concrete wall
• Darlington — and then there were two

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll says Parliament should investigate the Darlington roadworks landslips, taking the unusual step of supporting an Opposition-backed probe into the project bungle.

Adelaide commuters were shocked last week when two landslips blew out two sections of concrete retaining walls on the 3.3km, $620 million public project to widen South Road at Darlington.

The Advertiser revealed Opposition Transport spokesman Tom Koutsantonis would push for the Parliament’s next Public Works Committee meeting to investigate what went wrong.

Preliminary investigations have found a previously unidentified rainwater course forced an earth retaining wall through the unreinforced concrete wall.

Mr Knoll said yesterday the Government welcomed the committee investigating the problems.

“There are hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars invested in this project and they deserve to know what is happening,” he said.

“We will continue to update South Australians as soon as substantial information comes to light as we have been all along.”

His comments make it almost certain that the committee will vote in favour of a probe when it next meets.

Cement collapse at the Darlington road project. Picture: Tom Huntley

The State Government has been battling to get control of the public agenda surrounding the wall failures, with the contractor refusing to comment and the Transport Department releasing limited information.

Traffic restrictions were initially put in place for six weeks. There is now no end date for the restrictions but the overall project is still expected to finish on time.

In supporting the Darlington probe, Mr Knoll also sought to capitalise on the former Labor government’s refusal to allow the Public Works Committee to investigate troubled construction projects, including the New RAH project and the crumbling South Rd bicycle overpass.

“Unlike the former Labor administration, we will be open and transparent with the people of South Australia,’’ Mr Knoll said.

“Labor ran a secretive government and often shut down inquires and hid information under their watch.”