Waikerie Caravan Park

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:19): I rise to speak about the petition that was tabled in the parliament today with more than 1,850 signatures. That petition was generated by a local businessman in Waikerie by the name of Dean Grosse. Dean is a partner, with his wife, in Havenhand Chocolates in Waikerie. He was very concerned about the Waikerie caravan park that is now potentially not going to be redeveloped on the river's edge. This has been a real concern not only to the people and businesses of Waikerie but also to tourists who travel to Waikerie who are looking for that river experience.

The Adelaide-based Edwards Group owns the existing caravan park, which is now being redeveloped into a lifestyle village, and they are looking to make a significant investment into the new Waikerie caravan park, which is on the river side of the Ramco Road. It is an outstanding site. It is grassed, it is on the edge of the river, and every tourist, traveller, caravanner, everyone, when they are travelling to the river, wants to camp next to the river and have that river-time experience.

The Edwards Group is looking to invest a significant amount of money, $7.2 million, into the project. The project formally began in about 2011 but it has hit hurdles, one after the other, with regulations. I think you would say that it has been stringent requirements that have been over the top, and it really is a barrier to investment and economic drivers. Tourism is one of the great industries here in South Australia, particularly on the River Murray, and at the moment Waikerie is being denied that.

The group predicts that the new caravan park development could bring up to an additional 15,000 visitor nights per annum to Waikerie. I believe it is an outstanding project, a project that will require significant funds, but, sadly, once again the government here in Adelaide is making decisions and putting these overzealous requirements, regulations, on the development of this caravan park. I think this is a prime example of how the state government is stifling investment with red tape and, at times, unnecessary regulation.

Anyone in this chamber who has been to Waikerie will know that it is a great river town. It is one of the great towns in my electorate, and it is the entrance into the Riverland. The upgrade of the riverfront precinct has gone ahead (and I congratulate the council for that), and the Waikerie Magpies are in the grand final up against Barmera-Monash. However, this caravan park presents itself as another great opportunity for the people of Waikerie to be proud owners of a riverfront caravan park. Just as importantly, it is about generating an economy in a river town that has been through the drought, through those tough economic times. It is about grasping an opportunity, about those developers being able to go ahead and develop that land on the riverbank and create a great tourism attraction.

Let me tell the house that every resident and business in Waikerie wants a riverfront caravan park. I have had many tourists or travellers who have been through Waikerie on their way to the Riverland take the time to drop into my electorate office and say that it is a great aspect and that I need to take it up to the government and make sure that this project goes ahead. So I call on the government, I call on the Minister for Regional Development, and I call on the Minister for Tourism to come forward and have a look at this project, have a look at how it would benefit the river community of Waikerie, have a look at how it would benefit tourism numbers, and have a look at the great mystique of a river caravan park on that Waikerie riverbank.

Every other Riverland town has a caravan park on the river. They provide that unique opportunity for campers, caravanners, tourists and people who just want to have that river experience to come to the Riverland and camp, and experience river time. So, I urge all ministers and all departments to have a look at this. Do not make decisions in town. Come up and have a look at the opportunity this caravan park development will present.

Time expired.