River Murray Sustainability Program

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (14:19): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Minister, can you inform the house about how the South Australian River Murray Sustainability Program is benefiting our river communities?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (14:19): I thank the member for Reynell for the question.

Mr Gardner: Jay would probably jump in and answer this if he was here.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The opposition talks about the Premier using his first name, which I know the member for Morialta is a stickler for people not doing that. We should start by congratulating the Premier on a tremendous job to get this deal out of the federal government: $265 million—

Mr Whetstone: They gave it to him.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —that he went and fought hard for. We were told by those opposite we should have accepted a lesser deal. The Premier went out there; he was only after a Rolls-Royce. That's all he wanted, not the Mazda that—

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is called to order and the member for Morialta is called to order for drawing attention to the absence of someone from the chamber, which is infra dig. Minister.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Thank you again, Mr Speaker. The $265 million South Australian River Murray Sustainability Program has already had $100 million go out to 100 applicants. We're seeing work being undertaken already on most of those programs, and it's delivering jobs right along the length of the Murray in South Australia, from the border to the Murray Mouth. It's also returning 40 gigalitres to the river, which is very important not just for the health of the river but also for the health of the economies and the communities right along the length of the mighty Murray River in South Australia.

We are seeing people diversify in what they are doing, we are seeing people change the way that they go about their farming practices, and there are some real improvements. Given the great improvements that South Australian River Murray communities made in the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties, right throughout the last 50 years, there were some who thought, 'Gee, it's going to be hard to get more efficiencies,' but it's been terrific to see industry groups and individuals working out ways that they can become more sustainable.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Hello!

Mr Treloar interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: That's alright; no worries.

The SPEAKER: The member for Flinders is warned a first time.

An honourable member: He's calling a friend.

Ms Redmond: He needs one.

Mr Marshall: But hasn't got one.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Oh, that's a bit rough. We're already seeing growth with the 250 jobs to be created in 2015-16 through those first 100 projects. Once the program is complete, there's another $140 million out there in round 2. We expect long-term job numbers to increase in the region by more than 500 employees. The projects range from small family farm turnaround ventures to large international scale corporate schemes as well as a number of innovative new proposals.

Currently contracted projects are driving the following changes in the river region: around 1,300 hectares of crop plantings, including both new plantings and crop conversions and an increase of around 120 hectares in almond plantings. We know that the worldwide demand for almonds is increasing all the time. We know that California is being hit by a drought, and between South Australia, Victoria and California we produce most of the world's almonds that are exported around the place.

There's been a shift towards more commercial varieties of wine grape and citrus varieties, and more than 20 new processing, packing and cold storage facilities are adding to the efficiency and value of products for these farms. These projects are reshaping the region, including the reconfiguration of irrigation and production systems, changing crop types and increasing value-adding to products and processes through things such as automated fruit and vegetable packing machines. As I said at the start, one of the most important features of this project is that it is returning 40 gigalitres to the Murray.