NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT CENTRES

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs GERAGHTY: What facilities are being established to support integrated NRM service delivery to assist regions across our state to conserve natural resources and use them productively in a sustainable way?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:51): I truly thank the member for Torrens for her very, very important question and acknowledge her commitment to improving the environment in which we all live. A key ingredient in developing a more integrated approach to NRM is being delivered through the establishment of natural resources centres in each of the eight NRM regions. The centres will make it easier for farmers, for industry and communities to connect with their NRM board and to participate in decision-making in relation to local NRM issues by bringing together relevant agencies and expertise.

To date, I have officially opened centres on Kangaroo Island, in the SA Arid Lands, Eyre Peninsula, and the South-East. I am looking forward to opening the remaining centres in Ceduna, Clare and Gawler over the coming weeks. Of course, last week, I think it was, I was at Murray Bridge, and I acknowledge the local members who attended that particular opening and, indeed, I acknowledge all the local members who have attended the openings to date.

The way in which agencies are involved in the centres is being determined on a region-by-region basis. For example, in the South-East region, the NRC offers information about the South East NRM Board as well as services delivered through the department (DEWNR) and the EPA. Service SA is also co-located in this centre.

In addition to achieving conservation objectives, an integrated multiscientific approach is taken to improving productive uses of natural resources to help maintain and improve water, soil and biodiversity. On a general level, the NRM boards actively support farmers through initiatives such as whole farm planning and farm business enterprise.

NRM staff continue to provide critical support to the agricultural sector through on-ground weed control activities, focusing on removing regional outlier infestations of significant weeds and preventing them from becoming widespread and causing significant economic, environmental and social impacts. This is valuable work and saves our primary industries millions of dollars in losses associated with land becoming less productive.

NRM boards are working with landholders across a variety of other sustainable agriculture programs, including monitoring soil acidity, reducing the impacts of wind and water erosion, removing feral animals and weeds from public and private land, improving irrigation efficiency, and building landholder knowledge and capacity. I have welcomed the attendance, as I have said, of the various local members at the NRC openings and their show of support for the important role that NRM and other officers play in our communities.

This is somewhat at odds with the negative comments about dedicated public servants we have often heard from the opposition. Only last week, among other statements—

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Standing order 98: debate. The minister's answer has nothing to do with the question.

The SPEAKER: I would beg to differ on that, member for Stuart. He has been talking about the NRM boards.

Mr Brock: Yes, what's the government doing to integrate NRM boards?

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister, I presume you are answering the question?

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, I believe I am, ma'am—most certainly. Only last week, among other statements that were made by the opposition leader about cutting one in four staff—and, of course, that has some implications, as we have learned, and would have implications on staffing levels in these areas—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Standing order 98: debate. You have already had to—

The SPEAKER: Thank you. You have made your point of order, you can sit down. Minister, and ministers, I would ask you to keep some sanity in question time to stop these continual points of order. I would ask ministers not to refer to Liberal policy but to stick to sort of general scenarios in answering their questions.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, I promise not to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —at all talk about what is the stated position of their party room on job—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, you have just directed the minister not to go there, and he has completely—

The SPEAKER: Thank you. I do not think you have a point of order there—

Mr WILLIAMS: —ignored your ruling.

The SPEAKER: —but, minister, I will refer you back to my statement.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, I promise not to go there, as I said.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. You upset them.

The Hon. P. CAICA: I promise not to. The opposition leader mocked a group of dedicated public servants—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker: it is out of order for the minister to disregard what you have just instructed him.

The SPEAKER: I do not know whether he disregarded it, because I did not hear his last statement because of the uproar. But the minister knows now that he will not refer to Liberal policy. Minister.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, I will not refer to their party room policy. The South Australian public are celebrating the Year of the Farmer campaign. We all support that, don't we? The opposition leader told 891, as she told this place in June, as follows:

...I've also told the story of recently being in Rundle Mall and seeing 14 people from Natural Resources Management wearing clown wigs and other things entertaining children under the canopy in Rundle Mall, when we know that we've got too many rabbits and foxes and pest plants and so on. We need to be a leaner government...(Do you get rid of the clowns?) Yes.

On the advice of the agency, it turns out there were no NRM officers nor exhibitors who either wore, acted or displayed anything that might have been considered clownish. There were—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —just officers at work supporting and promoting our farmers, and that is what NRM officers do. I think it is clear to all who was doing the clowning around. The health of our local natural systems is an important environmental goal, but it is also a critical element that helps to underpin the success of our primary producers, our food manufacturers and associated businesses. Madam Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Thank you, minister, your time has expired, even though we gave you some extra time for interruptions.