Riverland Storm Damage

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 seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Was that the member for Chaffey agreeing? The member for Chaffey gives leave.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: I think it will be double thumbs up by the time you hear it.

Leave granted.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: On Friday 11 November, areas in the Riverland region were hit by a storm and a band of large hail, with winds in excess of 80 km/h and 35 millimetres of rain. The storm hit Taylorville, in the west of the region, at 4.45pm and arrived in Yamba, in the east of the region, at 6.15pm. The storm left a damage scar from Taylorville (near Waikerie) through Woolpunda, Barmera, Monash, Berri, Lyrup, Pike River and out to Yamba.

Along with the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Chaffey and the assistant federal Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Anne Ruston, I visited the region on Sunday. My colleague the Minister for Regional Development also went to the Riverland yesterday. We spent time talking with farmers and saw firsthand the devastating results of the storm, with damaged fruit and vines. I would like to thank, in particular, Michael Trautwein, Steven Liebich, Henry Crawford and Sue Miller for the time they took to show us the damage and talk about their plans to rebuild and recover.

Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) staff were out in the Riverland on the weekend and will continue meeting with primary producers to assess the damage to crops and equipment caused by Friday night's storm. Primary producers are encouraged to report damage to the assessment teams or via PIRSA's 24-hour Riverland Storm Recovery Hotline on 8207 7847 or 0476 834 530. In addition, the state government has established a Storm Response Centre at the Loxton Research Centre to coordinate services being provided to the community.

The recovery hotline received 36 calls in the first 24 hours of operation, and information provided through both the hotline and response centre will help us put together a more accurate picture of the damage over the coming week. Once the full extent of the storm damage is assessed, we will be able to determine what further assistance the government can consider. According to early assessments, crops impacted include wine grapes, stone fruit, almonds and citrus.

Wine grapes in the damage scar appear to be the most widely affected crop. A number of large wine grape growers have reported losses of many thousands of tonnes in Taylorville, Cadell, Qualco and Woolpunda. On some properties, whole rows of vines were blown over. Up to 200 rows are believed to have fallen over in the ferocious storm at a property in Qualco. Damage was also severe at the Kingston Estate winery, resulting in badly dented storage tanks. While the damage to wine grapes is extensive, not all wine grapes within the region are within the scar. Crop potential will be reduced, but the region will maintain its ability to supply markets.

Stone fruit properties in Lyrup have also been severely affected, with many reporting 80 to 100 per cent losses. The impact of such a loss is significant, given that much of the fruit was destined for export to new market opportunities in China. Producers are confident they will still be able to meet these orders. We have received reports of grain crops in the Taylorville, Taldra, Lyrup and Pike River areas being badly affected. Likewise, it has been reported that producers at Lyrup and Pike River have also lost citrus crops to hail damage.

While some areas have suffered severe damage, others were missed by the storm altogether and will continue their usual harvest operations to provide quality fresh produce to our markets. PIRSA staff, along with rural financial counsellors, are on hand at the Loxton Research Centre to advise primary producers on services and assistance available to them, including important mental health support for producers and their families. Technical information on recovery for growers with hail damage is also available.

I am working side by side with my parliamentary and cabinet colleagues to ensure that our primary producers get through these tough times. One practical measure we are working on is using prisoners from Cadell Training Centre to help with the clean-up operations. This was a suggestion from farmers we met with on Sunday.

The storm has been devastating for hardworking producers, and the state government and agencies will work tirelessly to assist them to get back on their feet as soon as possible. We will be with them for the long haul. Once again, I would like to put on the record my appreciation of the leadership the member for Chaffey has provided for his region.