Kangaroo Island Employment

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Planning. How is the government supporting jobs and growth on Kangaroo Island?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:41): Can I thank the honourable member for his question. Last week, I had the privilege of attending a community information session at the Kingscote Football Club on Kangaroo Island. It was a very interesting meeting. I would say there were 80 or 90, perhaps, members of the community there at the meeting, and it was also attended by the Commissioner for Kangaroo Island, who has been doing a lot of work there, some of her staff and members of the council.

Mr Pengilly: Did you hear the mayor's interview on Friday, John?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Is that right?

Mr Pengilly: What a classic.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: No, I didn't hear—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Yes, we did hear Sam Johnson's interview, but I didn't hear—

Mr Pengilly: I'll send it to you.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Okay. I did have the privilege of having a chat with the mayor, who is very interested in some of the work that is being done in respect of development of the island. Actually, there are a lot of very interesting things going on. The first thing is that there's been a document published called the Kangaroo Island Economic Development—

Mr KNOLL: Point of order, Mr Speaker: the minister had a press release on the KI economic outlook that he issued last week, on 15 June.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: This is not in a press—

The SPEAKER: I will check against the Deputy Premier's delivery to ensure there is no duplication.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I accept that the proper name of this particular item, which if you put it in inverted commas is 'The Kangaroo Island Economic Development Outlook', may have appeared in some other publication at some other point in time, but that doesn't mean that what I'm about to say about it, which is fascinating, appears in any other printed material. So, if I might go on.

What is this about? I'm going to call it a prospectus. We didn't actually call it a prospectus originally because there are some legal issues around using the word 'prospectus' for a document of this type, but that's really what it is. When my ministerial colleague, the Minister for Investment and Trade goes overseas, and when other ministers are travelling, they are going to be able to have a copy of what I call 'the Kangaroo Island prospectus' that they can hand out to people all over the place and say, 'If you want to invest in Kangaroo Island, if you want to see what magic opportunities there are on Kangaroo Island, here is—

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: The member for Schubert hasn't found any of this, I imagine, because it's all completely original. This prospectus will be there. It will be available for people who want to invest in the island. There is also a 'draft management plan for housing'. What is that about? There are challenges for housing on Kangaroo Island. There are challenges about having appropriate housing and enough housing. There are challenges around housing for people with disabilities. All of these things are now the subject of a management plan which is being consulted upon in the island even as we speak. Even right now I expect people are consulting on it. Here is another one of great interest: expressions of interest for the Kingscote wharf development.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: And there's more.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: There's more. The Kingscote wharf, as the member would know, this Kingscote wharf area is that area outside the Ozone Hotel. There has not been anything much happening there for a long time, a few sheds. Since the demise of the Troubridge it has been a bit quiet. Now there is an opportunity. We have at least one company that has already made an expression of interest in doing some work on the island and we are looking at further investment. There is investment possibly coming in golf courses. What an exciting time it is for the island.

The SPEAKER: Well, that sounded all extempore to me.