Grievance Debate

Salisbury Economy

Ms BETTISON (Ramsay) (15:33): I rise today to talk about the exciting things that are happening in Salisbury. In particular, I would like to focus on the economic investment. I would like to congratulate Mayor Gillian Aldridge, who recently spoke about the economic future of the City of Salisbury region at the Northern Business Breakfast. I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate her on her recent Order of Australia Medal for service to the community of Salisbury and to local government. Mayor of the City of Playford, Glenn Docherty, was also a speaker at the event, and he outlined the economic plan and vision for the City of Playford.

It is no surprise that the Northern Business Breakfast, most recently held in June 2018, is the largest monthly business breakfast network in metropolitan Adelaide, and had 140 attendees. I was delighted to be joined by the member for Light and the member for Wright; alas, no-one from the other side of the chamber came north of Gepps Cross for that breakfast.

It is an exciting time to live and work in the City of Salisbury. Currently, Salisbury's economy is the fourth largest in South Australia, with a gross regional product of $6.37 billion. More than $3 billion of investment is either already underway or has been announced for our area. There is a lot happening, and today I would like to outline a few of those examples.

Salisbury is already home to six of the largest defence companies in the world, and this is a key area for investment. Edinburgh Air Force Base is undertaking $900 million worth of upgrades to accommodate the Poseidon and Triton aircraft. This upgrade will see the main runway lengthened, new hangars and maintenance facilities built, and the installation of a $250 million Boeing simulator.

A $1.2 million contract awarded to BAE Systems to upgrade a world-leading radar data system plays a vital role in supporting Australian defence. This contract will create 200 high-tech jobs in Salisbury. Technology Park at Mawson Lakes is a key centre of economic investment, with projects such as SITAEL, Italy's largest private space company, which opened its new Australian headquarters at Mawson Lakes on 1 July. Raytheon Australia recently announced they will also be relocating to Technology Park along with Saab also expanding their current presence. Combined, this will create more than 550 jobs.

Recent investments by Codan and Ellex Medical Lasers have created 400 jobs at Mawson Lakes, and Edinburgh Parks also has other investment as well. The cybersecurity firm VeroGuard is establishing in Edinburgh Parks, creating 600 jobs. Many of those jobs, as we have talked about in the past, will go to former auto workers.

An area I am particularly interested in is the Northern Adelaide Food Park. The family-owned and operated business La Casa Del Formaggio has announced it will be moving in and investing $25 million in establishing their operations there. Auscold Logistics has also announced it will relocate to the Food Park.

Another area I have been following for quite some time, and one I will continue to have a particular interest in as it focuses on my now shadow ministry of trade, is the $155 million Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme. This is a joint federal and state investment that will create an additional 300 hectares of export-focused production. We know that 12 gigalitres will be released by SA Water from the treatment plant, and there is talk of up to 20 gigalitres and potentially an additional 20 gigalitres. This is unfunded at this stage, but this is the future. I call it Food Bowl South Australia, and this is an opportunity for the future. Whether it be cucumbers, tomatoes or potatoes we are very keen to export that overseas.

Other areas include the development of the community hub in Salisbury, and I went to the groundbreaking ceremony for that development in June.

Time expired.