LOCUST PLAGUE

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:26): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier inform the house about the state's readiness to combat the looming locust plague?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:26): It is interesting that the city slickers on that side of the house do not want to know about pestilence. At the Liberal Party conference (with that other wrecker, Tony Abbott), the Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —described members here—in fact me, the deputy, the Minister for Infrastructure, and, indeed, the former attorney-general—as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Now, the first horseman of the apocalypse, riding a white horse (the Antichrist) was supposed to bring pestilence; the second one, riding a red horse, famine; the third one, riding a black horse, war; and then the fourth one, on a pale horse, bringing death.

Apparently, her prediction was that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse would be gone from the ministry. Apparently, she did not know that the former attorney-general was in fact the former attorney-general. Clearly, even though they do not care about agricultural communities, they should care about pestilence. Madam Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —this is very important.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Yes, that's right. She calls me the Antichrist, but no-one who saw her on Sunday night at the Montevergine celebrations would see her as Moses leading them back from the desert of opposition.

I can inform the house that the first shots have been fired in South Australia's war on locusts. Chemical spraying of the first locust hatchings began this morning in the Flinders Ranges. The first targets were in the Parachilna/Motpena Station area, while targets at Moralana Station (west of Leigh Creek Road) and Edeowie Station (near Brachina Gorge) have also been identified for treatment. This event marks the opening of hostilities in what is shaping to be the worst locust plague in 40 years. It is a battle that the government is determined to win in partnership with our farming communities.

Last Thursday I travelled to Orroroo with the minister for agriculture to officially open the locust control centre. The control centre at Orroroo and another at Loxton are command headquarters for what is very much like a military operation. As the weather warms (albeit later than expected), South Australia will be invaded by trillions of locusts. If left unchecked, this pestilence could wipe out much of the state's agricultural production.

After years of drought, it was an absolute pleasure to see excellent crops growing in the Mid North, as well as, of course, as far up as the Flinders Ranges. The grain harvest this year could potentially be worth in the order of $2 billion. It is vital that we protect this crop, our pastures and vineyards, which are also important to the economic and social wellbeing of South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Members opposite might find the locust plague funny, but none of the farmers that I met thought so. Locusts pose a threat to parks and gardens, sporting grounds, golf courses and regional aviation. To defend South Australia against the locust assault, the government has committed $12.8 million, and will spend more if necessary. Strategic spraying operations will occur over an estimated 450,000 hectares of the state, from the air and on the ground. We have seven aircraft ready to be deployed and 130 front-line troops in the field. These personnel will be working collaboratively with landholders, local government and natural resource management boards.

Our collective aim is to hit the locusts on the ground before they take to the wing. We want to destroy the enemy before it becomes airborne. To provide intelligence to this mission, survey teams have been mapping the locust egg laying and are on the lookout for hatchings. For the first time, GPS technology is being used to make the response incredibly precise and targeted.

The government has taken the lead in coordinating the campaign because it is vital to our state's economy that we do so. I want to acknowledge the dedication of PIRSA officers in preparing for the locust threat in a professional manner.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: They are now attacking PIRSA. I also commend the community reference groups for their advice and assistance, in particular the group chairmen, Mr Ken Kaye in the Riverland and Mr Malcolm Byerlee in the Flinders Ranges. I visited Mr Byerlee's property on Thursday and saw his 'handy crop', as he modestly described it, gaining an appreciation of what is at stake and why we must be vigilant. I went there some years ago—I think back in September 2002, from recollection, during the drought. It was terrific to have the minister for agriculture there as well.

This presents new management challenges because we cannot undertake large-scale aerial spraying along waterways, in terms of the River Murray. For the first time, we are facing a major locust invasion in parts of the Riverland and along the Murray. That is why the government has provided a rebate scheme for landholders to spray their own properties. We also want farmers and irrigators in the Riverland to be vigilant in watching out for hatchings and to report these to the Loxton Control Centre.

We are aware that chemical spraying creates a range of issues, including possible contamination of grain and wool, potential harm to human health and threat to native wildlife. PIRSA is working with landholders and also with DENR and SA Health to minimise the risk, and open communication is occurring with stakeholders. A special fungal spray called Green Guard has been developed for use in environmentally sensitive areas and by organic farmers. It has the benefits of no withholding periods and no residues.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The government—but apparently not the opposition—is determined to fight a good fight to minimise the damage caused by locusts. We want to protect our state's agricultural industries, and we are going to work very hard to do so.