Regional Development Australia

Mr ELLIS (Narungga) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister update the house on the state government's commitment to provide long-term funding to the state's regionally based RDAs?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:32): I thank the member for Narrunga; it is great to see that he is a champion for regional South Australia. The opposition can make fun of the regions all they want—they have for the last 16 years.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: Yes, it has been an absolute disgrace. What I can say is that there is a new dawn in regional South Australia. We are here to support the regions. We are here to help the regions grow and, through this government's commitment to the RDAs over the next four years, we will be putting $3 million into the seven regional RDAs here in South Australia to help them diversify, to help them grow and to help them underpin our export numbers.

More importantly, it's about giving the security that the RDAs need to develop our regions. It's about giving them that security, a long-term funding stream that would allow them to employ the right people, to acknowledge the right projects, to make sure that the 28 per cent of South Australia's population in the regions, generating over 50 per cent of our merchandise exports, is recognised so that we can make those exports grow, so that we can make that 28 per cent of the state's population more relevant when it comes to diversifying our economy and recognising the hard work and dedication our regional sector puts into the state's economy.

As I said, the state government will provide $3 million per annum to the seven regionally based RDAs, from 2018-19 to 2021-22. Meeting with the RDAs in my regional travels around South Australia, they have acknowledged our commitment to their cause; they are absolutely delighted. I support the Minister for Energy and Mining in that there is a new step in developing industry in South Australia. There is a new step within the RDAs because they know that the Marshall Liberal government is there to support them and they are there to support regional South Australia.

In the past, the RDA boards in South Australia have had considerable success in developing and delivering collaborative projects, and this is why the regions are as successful as they are. This is why we are, on this side of the house, supporting regional South Australia, supporting those RDA boards, so that we can work in partnership with state, federal and local governments. We are going to make the RDAs more relevant and we are going to make sure that they give the support to regional South Australia.

From the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island to the Far North, from the Limestone Coast to the Murraylands and Riverland, and to the Yorke and Mid North, from the Barossa to Whyalla, and to Eyre Peninsula, Regional Development Australia is working closely with industry to make sure that they grow, they develop and they can help South Australia's economy diversify and help it grow. These boards have provided important services and they will continue to provide important services by giving our regions the security and underpinning the economic drive that they are continuing to need to develop and move with the times.

We know that industry, particularly in the primary production and in our service sector in the industry, is a huge contributor not only to our economy, putting food on tables, but to making sure that when people turn on the tap there is a water supply, making sure when they open their fridge there is good South Australian produce there. But it is really important to understand that not only will the RDAs get our backing—the $150 million Regional Growth Fund over 10 years, the $750 million Royalties for Regions fund over 10 years and the $10 million blackspot funding that will be implemented because hashtag #regionsmatter.

The SPEAKER: The member's time has expired. The member for Badcoe.