RIVERLAND MOTORSPORT AND TRAINING COMPLEX

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:38): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. This grievance speech is directed to the ministers for road safety, regional development and sport in relation to the proposed Riverland motorsport and driver training complex. This proposal is currently before the Berri Barmera Council for approval, and I am informed it will soon move to a public consultation phase as required by the Development Act. I have been taking particular interest in the proposal because it will create a whole new industry in the Riverland, a region which in recent times has suffered significant blows to its economy and its community's confidence.

Government departments, the police and other emergency services, and even the private sector, all conduct defensive driving and advanced driving courses. The proposed complex would be a much more suitable venue for driver training than where it is currently conducted in the Riverland, at Renmark airport. It is intended to create a regional driver training hub at the new complex which is proposed for the Riverland Field Day's permanent site near Barmera. This would create jobs in the region, create a new sporting industry in the region and, most importantly, provide education and a safe environment in which drivers, particularly young drivers, could gain the experience they need to survive on our roads.

We have watched in horror as the state's road toll has increased. More than 60 people have lost their lives on our roads this year, which is now only half over. About 60 per cent of the road fatalities in South Australia occur on country roads. While I commend public authorities in their considerable efforts to keep our roads safe, it is important that we acknowledge that experience, rather than stricter road rules or harsher penalties, is a driver's best asset on the road. This is particularly the case in the seat of Chaffey, where drivers must contend with many unsealed roads and a major national highway, with its increasing number of B-double trucks.

I note that The Advertiser has reported that the Motor Accident Commission has commissioned the University of Adelaide's Centre for Automotive Safety Research to investigate school road safety education in Australia and overseas. I commend the government's support for road safety education measures in schools, and further note of the government's commitment to expanding the MFS Road Safety and Accident Awareness Program in schools, but I urge the government to pursue further driver education measures in schools. A dedicated facility in the Riverland for this purpose would be ideal. The proposed site near Barmera is fairly central to the Riverland's four high schools; however, the complex will require state government support.

In the lead-up to the election, the Liberal Party promised $40,000 towards this worthy cause, and I call on the state government to match this commitment. It is appropriate to consider the proposed complex as a recipient of funding from the government's promised $20 million restructure package for the Riverland. I direct the minister's attention to an announcement earlier this month by the Victorian government, which detailed a $100,000 commitment to examine the viability of developing the Murray River communities of Mildura and Swan Hill as elite centres for motorsport. The media release states:

It is envisaged that development of new motorsport facilities in Victoria's north-west will attract regional and national events, boosting the reputation of the region as a base for motorsport and associated activities.

The feasibility study will identify the niche industry in which the region has a competitive advantage, while effectively seeking to diversify the industry base and boosting tourism events. Indeed, I am informed by the Riverland Motorsports Club that recent drag racing events in Mildura attracted sell-out crowds, and it would be a boon for the Riverland to attract some of these spectators too. I quote further from the media release:

...funding is being provided...through the [Victorian] government's Planning for Change program which aims to manage growth, respond to a changing environment and enhance productive, sustainable, liveable communities in provincial Victoria.

The Riverland is certainly seeking such measures to enhance its own sustainability, which has come under increasing threat in recent times. This is clearly a sport with much popular appeal. The Riverland Motorsports Club plans to hold eight such events each year at the proposed new complex. These events would be sanctioned by the Australian Drag Racing Association. It is important that we make a distinction between the illegal hoon activity we are seeing on our streets and motorsports such as drag-racing, held under the strictest regulation and safety conditions. We in this house should provide the best possible driver training and road safety education to give them and others the best possible chance of surviving our roads.