NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND LANDCARE AWARDS

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (14:55): My question is to the minister—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Kavel, behave.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Light, sorry.

Mr PICCOLO: Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Can the minister advise what public recognition was recently given to volunteers whose commitment and efforts are directed towards preserving and enhancing our unique natural environment?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:57): I thank the honourable member for his question. Of course he, too, fully understands the very important role that volunteers play in so many areas of our state and it is something that we should all be thankful for.

Recently I was privileged to present the 2011 Premier's Natural Resources Management and South Australian Landcare awards. It was a real pleasure to present awards to 16 community groups and individuals, including the award for Services to Natural Resources Management to the Toyota LandCruiser Club for their significant contribution over many years. Interestingly, I did meet them up in the Flinders Ranges at the time of the co-management arrangements being announced up there, and they have done a great job in many aspects of the way in which the Flinders Ranges had been managed.

Other Premier's Natural Resources Management award winners were: Big Picture Conservation Volunteers for their work in Brookfield Conservation Park; community engagement, the Tennyson Dunes Group; integrated project, the Katfish Reach Steering Committee; Rebecca May, the female Rising Star winner; and Jack Sciffer, the male Rising Star winner.

The SA Landcare award winners were: Kathie Stove from Kangaroo Island, for the Australian Government Individual Land Carer Award; Emmie Borthwick, for the Australian Government Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practice Award; Kim Thompson, for the Australian Government Local Landcare Facilitator/Coordinator Award; and Jenny Stanton, for the Be Natural Young Landcare Leader Award.

The Hindmarsh Island Landcare Group has done some outstanding work for the Australian Government Coast Care Award. Karpinyeri Incorporated Association—that was Muriel Van Der Byl AM, and it was a magnificent speech that she made. In fact, we were running well in front of schedule and it is safe to say that after Muriel's very good contribution we were back on schedule.

The Hon. G. Portolesi: We were behind.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: She was fantastic, and that was for the Leighton Holdings Indigenous Award. The Local Government Landcare Partnership Award was won by the Barossa Council—I am sure the member for Schubert would be very proud of that—combined with the Adelaide Hills Council for the Upper Torrens management project. The Toshiba Community Group Award went to the Hindmarsh Island Landcare Group Incorporated. They were surprised to get two gongs, but it was well deserved for them on that particular day.

The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board took out the Coastal Gardens Planting Guide Urban Landcare Award, and the Westpac Education Award went deservedly to the Waikerie Primary School Youth Environment Team. Some of our biggest environmental challenges, including issues about sustainability and climate change, are being tackled by these volunteers and many more across South Australia committed to improving and protecting our natural environment.

I would like to mention my enthusiasm in taking on my new portfolio responsibilities because of the interconnectedness that they have with my ongoing roles. I am honoured that the Premier has seen fit to appoint me Aboriginal affairs minister. I have already begun building on the constructive relationships that have been developed in working closely with many Aboriginal people around the state; for example, in helping to protect the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region during the recent drought, and in moving to a number of co-management arrangements, of which we can all be proud, in national and conservation parks across the state.

In the context of this question about managing natural resources and land care, I ask: who better is there to work with in protecting and restoring our natural environments than Aboriginal South Australians, whose knowledge and understanding of biodiversity and natural rhythms and changes in ecosystems are founded on tens of thousands of years of living with and caring for their land? In relation to the River Murray and the Lower Lakes area, we have, in fact, learnt much from the knowledge of the Ngarrindjeri people. The plant—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Look, I won't respond. I will say this through you, Madam Speaker, that on numerous occasions at many functions I have attended with my Aboriginal friends, they say, 'Paul, you are slaughtering this language,' and I say, 'I know and I apologise,' and they say, 'It's okay, because we like you and we like the work that you and your government are doing.' I accept that, and I know I have to improve in that particular area. I do not have, really, the ability to roll my tongue as much as some other people do. I thank whoever it was that rudely interjected there and corrected me.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: It was a—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —kind interjection, but they too are unruly and disorderly. I have learnt much in my time in my other portfolio responsibilities and, of course, I will in this portfolio of responsibility from our Aboriginal communities. Particularly from our friends down south, the freshwater species and many traditional stories refer to drinking water being—

Mrs REDMOND: Point of order: I am completely bewildered as to the relevance of what the minister is saying to the question that was asked.

The SPEAKER: Minister, I would ask you to wind up. You have been going for some time.

The Hon. P. CAICA: I will, Madam Speaker, and just to help those that don't understand how I am answering the question, it is about land care and the relationship with looking after country and its relationship with my portfolio responsibility that has been added, and that is, the Aboriginal people who, of course, we can learn much from in relation to looking after their country.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Well, let me say this, and I will finish off, Madam Speaker because you have instructed me to do so. It is my hope that this parliament will return to its tradition of taking a non-partisan approach in supporting Aboriginal South Australians to meet the challenges they face. I think to do otherwise means that the people we profess to be working with will be less likely to work with us in true partnerships, and all South Australians will lose if that happens.