Regional Tourism

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:11): My question is directed to the Minister for Tourism. How are events assisting boosting tourism numbers in the regions?

The SPEAKER: Is the Minister for Agriculture prepared?

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) (15:12): Yes, thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I thank the member for the question. Regional tourism is vitally important to South Australia. It's a sector that gives jobs not just around a factory or mine but right across the million square kilometres of this wonderful state. The government is proud to stand by regions who get festivals in their local area, and we help fund many of those. Sometimes, it's not a lot of money, but it helps.

I remember the Renmark Rose Festival last year. We gave it some money so that they could advertise across the border to bring Victorians over into South Australia to spend their money. Recently, I was up in Clare for the Gourmet Weekend, and it was a tremendous weekend, one of those great late autumn days with beautiful blue skies. I caught up with Jeffrey Grosset and went to Kilikanoon. I caught up with one of the newer and smaller winemakers up there, Don Farrell, who is doing very well with his wines. I got to sample his wines as well.

The Hon. J.J. Snelling: A Blackfriars' boy.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Since he has been on the Senate ticket sales have gone up. There's a lot of people buying his wines, he said.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is warned.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Like the Minister for Health and myself, he is a good Blackfriars' boy, an old scholar. It was terrific to see what Tania Matz from the Clare Valley wine association has done with that money and with their own know-how. We need to remember that this was the very first gourmet weekend anywhere in South Australia, and this year it was celebrating its 32^nd anniversary.

Another great thing that is happening this weekend is the Fat Tyre Festival at Melrose. I know the member for Stuart is a big fan of that: he will be there. Also, the member for Stuart is a really big fan of increasing cycle tourism around the place. I think we've got a pretty good record, probably both sides here. Both sides have put good money into the Tour Down Under to bring people in. Recently, we've been putting a lot of money into the Mount Lofty Ranges to make sure that that is a mountain bike centre of excellence (Eagle Park), but there are some more tracks going on up there in cooperation with the Department of Environment and Tourism, again working together. I was really pleased to meet with Richard Bruce from the Over the Edge bike shop in Melrose. He came down to parliament a few weeks ago. The member for Stuart and I sat down with him, and the potential of what we can do is so exciting.

We know that adventure tourism is something that people are really hoping to do more and more. They do not want to just go to an area and sit passively; they want to get engaged, and some of the great areas in the world have really embraced this. It is something that we want to do, and, of course, the Flinders Ranges and Southern Flinders Ranges really lend themselves to doing that.

Of course, with the long weekend we also have the Sea and Vines festival down in my neck of the woods—McLaren Vale. That's been going for 24 years now, and I must say the new chairman of the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association, the Hon. John Hill, is doing a very good job in that role as chair—

The Hon. J.J. Snelling interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Exactly, so he is doing a really good job. I would like to thank Jennifer Lynch as well who has come into the role running the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association. There are plenty of things on over the weekend, and they expect it will bring about $4 million into the local economy. This is one that we haven't funded this year, but we have in previous years because we like to go around and help different events get up on their feet, or help them do a little bit more marketing.

I mentioned at the outset that regional tourism is really important. The latest international stats that were released just last week show that there were 141,000 visits from people from overseas who went into our—

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. Rankine: Sit down.

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is warned for the second and final time. The member for Schubert did not introduce himself to me by claiming a point of order; he just began speaking. Minister.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: He is childish, sir, absolutely childish. He gets up when people are talking about industries that benefit his area, and all he wants to do is play. He thinks he's at a Young Liberal club. It's not the Young Liberal club: this is actually a serious place. This is parliament. This is where we grow the economy, and stop interjecting on frivolous points of order, you clown!