LOCUST PLAGUE

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:02): I have a question for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Can the minister advise the house of what the government is doing to ensure that there is a coordinated approach with neighbouring states to prevent the threat of a locust plague in South Australia?

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Northern Suburbs) (14:02): Members would be aware that South Australia faces a major locust plague in spring and in summer.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: Well, you would be if you appreciated the potential impact. PIRSA has estimated—and hence my nervousness—the potential impact on primary production at about $3 billion. They are big numbers in anybody's language. The South Australian government is undertaking all necessary steps to ensure a comprehensive response to the looming locust plague. PIRSA will mount an extensive aerial control program in the Riverland, Murray Mallee, and the Hawker Orroroo areas which, unfortunately, have already been hit with large infestations of locusts, as many members on the opposition benches are aware.

These locusts have laid their eggs, the effective control of which can occur only during a very narrow window of opportunity over spring. The Premier has convened a special meeting of the state's Emergency Management Council to discuss the situation and to ensure that there is a high level of preparedness. Planning is well under way to source enough chemicals, staff and aircraft to mount the operation. I have been informed that in the last locust plague we secured three aircraft, and currently we have secured 19, so we are being extremely aggressive in our approach to dealing with this particular matter.

I will hold talks next week with the Australian Plague Locust Commission in Canberra and with my Victorian and New South Wales ministerial counterparts to ensure a coordinated response. I think members may be aware that we have an issue, particularly across the Victorian border where there are large areas of national park. I want some assurance from my Victorian ministerial counterpart that the Victorians will actually deal with it—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: Member for Bragg, this is a serious matter—and also to call into play the Australian Plague Locust Commission, which has actual responsibility for dealing with cross-border incursions. The current locust problem—which, unfortunately, has affected some farmers seriously—will reduce over winter, but will emerge again in spring as the eggs hatch. I have been advised that large-scale spraying at this time would be largely ineffective. It is essential that the state government, farmers, NRM boards and local councils work together to ensure a coordinated assault at the right time when locusts are at the hopper stage and have not taken to wing.

Community reference groups have been established, and I think most members would be aware of that fact. Their role is to assist the coordination of the control effort and communicate the need for a collaborative assault at the right time—and, again, this will involve PIRSA, NRM boards, local government and individual landholders. I have informed cabinet of the potential consequences and the likelihood of a funding submission. The amount of funding required will not be known until the full scale of the problem is clear, but the resources will be there.

The government will commit whatever funding and resources are necessary to achieve the best possible outcome for the state's primary industries. Shadow agriculture minister Adrian Pederick and all interested MPs have been offered a full briefing on the current situation and the government's response, and that will be given on Tuesday of the next sitting week. It is unfortunate that the member for Hammond has been scaremongering in the media and undermining—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: Settle down.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order. The minister will sit. The Premier.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Madam Speaker, I think the people of this state and this parliament in a new session of a new parliament deserve better than anger and arrogance.

The SPEAKER: Minister.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond, be quiet.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: The issue here is that he is effectively undermining confidence in the state's emergency management procedures. It is reckless and irresponsible and he is effectively—

Mr WILLIAMS: I have a point of order, Madam Speaker. I believe that the minister is imputing improper motive to the member for Hammond, who is working diligently on behalf of his constituents.

The SPEAKER: Minister, if you would conclude.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: I will conclude by pointing out that the response we have instigated is identical to those that have occurred previously, and under a Liberal government. There is nothing different about this except we are probably doing it a hell of a lot more diligently. I urge the Liberal Party to make this issue a bipartisan one.