Grievance Debate

Country Shows

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:29): I rise today to put on the record my concerns regarding state government funding through the department of PIRSA and the cut to the Agricultural Societies Council's funding for regional shows; that is, country shows right across South Australia are having that vital, small contribution from the state government cut. At the moment, there is about a $100,000 pool of money, some of which goes to the rural ambassadors program in South Australia. The rural ambassadors program is a fantastic initiative. Not only does it reward and help rural ambassadors, but it also puts a program in place for young rural ambassadors in South Australia. It is a great initiative and something for which I applaud the department and the state government.

The Agricultural Societies Council has had their $40,000 funding used for prize money at regional South Australian shows taken away from them. That $40,000 might not seem like a lot of money, but regional shows are critically important, particularly to the fabric of regional South Australia. Any member on this side of the chamber and potentially one other on the government side of the chamber would understand how important rural shows are to those small communities. Country shows obviously play a vital role in keeping communities together.

It is about competitions, small types of platforms of competition, whether it is through livestock (live animals), the exercise of wood chopping, or whether it is through the flower competitions and shows, or whether it is through jam making—and of course we cannot forget the jam. Deputy Speaker, my jam was in the Royal Adelaide Show this year. Sadly, I have had to rely on last year's ribbons to keep my cupboard full, but I will be putting my jam into my regional shows at Pinnaroo and Loxton. It is all about community and having some form of competition, and it is friendly rivalry, I must say. Yes, my famous fig and ginger jam did not get a ribbon and neither did my even more famous dried apricot jam.

More importantly, I am advised that PIRSA will no longer provide funding for the rural agricultural show prizes. Some of that prize money is small, and in some cases in single figures. I notice that last year's prize-money for the jam competition was $3, but it was vital prize money. It was about keeping all those competitors in the game. Without that prize money, it leaves a critical gap in what regional shows are about, and that is about competing and being part of the show, and it is a stepping stone and putting your product into the regional shows and then having an opportunity to bring it to the big smoke in Adelaide and putting it on the shelves and running it against everyone else in South Australia.

The Loxton Show Society and the Pinnaroo Agricultural Society have been around for nearly 100 years, and they really are the fabric of those communities. They bring the community together, they bring communities at large together. Many businesses, not only local but far and wide in South Australia, come to show off their products and services. They showcase what they do best and the services they provide to that local community. It is about camaraderie, and it is a really important part of those small communities.

Each of those shows attract tens of thousands of people every year. So, we are talking about a measly $1,200 for Loxton and $1,200 for Pinnaroo as prize-money. The backbone of those shows are the volunteers and local community members who make the shows happen, bring everyone together and give them the opportunity to showcase what they do best. They also they have a sense of pride when they bring their wares, their jams, their wheat clusters, their oats and grains, and their animals to these shows, and it really is important.

Sadly, this state government through PIRSA has been very mean in taking away that $40,000 from the entire regional South Australian show society. I urge the government, I urge the minister, to revisit that $40,000 and put back it back on the table to support country shows.

Time expired.