Aquaculture Industry

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:25): My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. Will the South Australian taxpayer be footing the bill for the clean-up of the failed abalone farm in Anxious Bay should no moneys be available from the former directors of Ocean Abalone Australia?

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is on a full set of warnings. The member for Unley will retire for the remainder of question time under the sessional orders.

The honourable member for Unley having withdrawn from the chamber:

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) (15:25): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the member for Flinders for the question and for his interest in that area around Anxious Bay where a leasehold was there on an aquacultural lease that was held by a company—

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Sorry; this is a serious matter, but the member for Schubert of course tries to make a joke about everything.

Mr Pengilly: Stop sooking and get on with it.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Mr Bean from Backstairs Passage has weighed in. They're just disappointed they didn't get the chance to vote you off the island.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Yes, I know. Ocean Abalone Australia No 1 Pty Ltd previously held five marine-based subtitle abalone aquaculture leases and corresponding licences in Anxious Bay. The company took over the operation of the sites in 2014. It was placed into receivership on 3 February 2017. The receivers, the McGrathNicol partnership, were unable to sell the business and assets. On 15 June this year, they advised PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture they had retired in their capacity as receivers and the company would be wound up, deregistered, and the assets liquidated.

The responsibility of the day-to-day activities of the company reverted back to the sole director and company secretary, Mr Ben Jayaweera. On 24 July this year, PIRSA cancelled the aquaculture marine leases and licences held by Ocean Abalone Australia No 1 Pty Ltd due to prolonged non-payment of aquaculture fees and failure to comply with the requirements of the Aquaculture Act 2001.

PIRSA engaged with the former licence holder to facilitate the timely rehabilitation of the marine sites and issued a series of directions to carry out work to remove all stock and equipment from the site and remediate the sites as required by the Aquaculture Act 2001. I am advised the former lease and licence holder failed to comply with the directions to remediate the sites, and as a consequence, all equipment and stock was forfeited to the Crown.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Mr Speaker, I am giving an answer to a member of parliament who—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —has a very genuine interest in that area.

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The member for Bragg thinks she knows everything about everything. Honestly—very, very rude. A very rude person.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Ms CHAPMAN: The question was very clear. For 3½ minutes, the minister has gone on some historical wandering and not answered the question. Will the government underwrite the creditors in relation to this collapse? That is the question. Yes or no?

The SPEAKER: Very well; we will see what the minister does in the last 40 seconds.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: I have actually lost over a minute of the answer because of the interjections of the opposition. PIRSA has engaged a supplier who will begin removing equipment from the former sites in the very near future. The site rehabilitation is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: again, he is just going on about the government's interest in getting rehabilitation—nothing to do with the question. Is the government going to underwrite and pay out the creditors in relation to the collapsed company? It's very simple.

The SPEAKER: Is it not passing strange that the member for Flinders isn't taking these points of order as the author of the question, rather than the member for Bragg?

Ms CHAPMAN: With respect, because, firstly, I am the deputy leader. Secondly, I have been listening patiently for 3½ minutes to this dribble about information—nothing to do with the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: an impromptu speech.

The SPEAKER: Yes, it was an impromptu speech, but I'm feeling merciful today. The member for Flinders.