REGIONAL TOURISM

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:15): I would like to grieve today on regional tourism. As many people here in this house today would understand, it is one of the jewels in South Australia's crown. The regional tourism industry has been a very large economic driver within South Australia's economy for many years. Just to make members who are in the chamber today aware, within the regions of South Australia $1.92 billion is generated. That is the third largest industry within this state behind mining and, of course, agriculture. What that represents is about 11.5 million nights spent in the regions of South Australia, exploring some of the beauties that the regions do offer.

Last night I was given the opportunity to go back to my electorate in the Riverland and attend a meeting of councils and tourism operators to support a move within the tourism industry to move the area of the Riverland forward into the next phase of what tourism will mean to the region.

Within that meeting we had about 150 tourism operators and they overwhelmingly supported the local control of the development within the tourism industry. It was unanimously decided that the South Australian government and also the South Australian Tourism Commission must support the progression of the tourism industry, particularly in the Riverland region.

During that meeting we had the council sitting side by side. As many members would know here today, local government can be very parochial, but what I saw last night were three local councils and a regional development board sitting side by side, supporting one another, supporting the region, working hand in hand, and it was great to see.

The message was sent clearly to the Minister for Tourism (and I have spoken to him prior to speaking today), and he has endorsed that he will monitor the progress of this newly developed support base to set up a local tourism board, that it does move ahead and that we can actually put the Riverland back on the tourism map. For many years—for the last 10 years—the tourism industry has been in a decline.

It has been quite sad to watch the lack of numbers coming to the region, and it is primarily driven through bad press, bad media, out there in the mainstream, telling everyone that the river is dry, that there is no water, that there is nothing to see—it is a state of dust, doom and gloom.

Let me tell you, Madam Speaker, that the river is flush. The environment is looking magnificent. People's enthusiasm has been reinvigorated. There is just a spring in everyone's step to think that the river is back. The opportunities within tourism are there, and so we must move ahead.

Today I would like to make members aware that there is a vision within the electorate that we are moving from around annually 451,000 visitors to the great region of the Riverland, and our target is to try to achieve 1.34 million visitors annually to the year 2020. I think that is a very achievable target. So, I am there supporting the tourism industry, the councils and the progress of this newly-elected board.

What I would like to do is just endorse what the regional tourism industry offers this great state and the nation, and the international tourism numbers that visit this great state of ours. Some members might know, but some of the city people who do not get out often might not understand. We look at some of the experiences on the Limestone Coast, down at Mount Gambier and in the Coonawarra. Obviously, we look at the magnificent Blue Lake and the great wine regions of the Coonawarra.

We look at the Murraylands with the expansive farming country, the blue skies and the fresh air. We look at the Fleurieu Peninsula with its lush farmland and its boutique food industry, particularly the dairy industry. We look at the Barossa Valley, particularly the wine sector and the historic iconic identities within that great region. In the Adelaide Hills, of course, we have those lovely boutique wineries and the history of our state. I am barely halfway through my grievance, but I will sit down and continue on another day.

The SPEAKER: Your time has expired. You can come back on some other occasion. Member for Ashford.