Tunarama Festival

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:20): Over the January long weekend, I had the privilege of attending Port Lincoln's annual Tunarama Festival. The festival is in its 58^th year and was an action-packed weekend full of entertainment, featuring local produce such as seafood, wines and craft beer, talent and events, including the ever-popular sideshows.

The Hon. C.L. Wingard: And fundraising.

Mr TRELOAR: Fundraising, indeed! The minister is well aware of what goes on in Port Lincoln. The weekend was celebrating the success and ongoing value of the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery for which Port Lincoln has become so famous.

On the Friday evening, I attended the 2019 Tunarama Ambassador crowning, which saw my new trainee, Damien Burner, crowned the second-ever and youngest male to be crowned ambassador. This year, the Tunarama Quest was made up of seven entrants, and they worked exceptionally well to raise much-needed funds for their chosen not-for-profit charities. Congratulations to them all. Collectively, the Quest entrants raised $98,000, which was double the amount of last year's entrants, so well done to them.

After the crowning, I was honoured to attend the Best of Eyre dinner with South Australian Tourism Commission Chief Executive, Rodney Harrex, the Hon. Tim Whetstone and the federal member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey. The Best of Eyre dinner showcased Eyre Peninsula's seafood, prepared by local chef Kris Bunder, and was complemented by local wines.

The Port Lincoln Tunarama Festival is the longest running regional festival, celebrating the local fishing industry and its produce. One tradition that attracts festival-goers is the annual Tuna Toss, which celebrated its 40^th year in 2019. The festival includes a street procession, sideshow alley, a watermelon eating competition and much, much more, which makes it a fun and exciting family-friendly event for all. The festival came to a close on the Sunday night with a spectacular fireworks display, which locals said was the best fireworks display ever seen at the festival.

I think it is very important to thank Sharon Humenick and her committee for their tireless efforts. It is a huge task to organise a festival that has become an iconic annual event on the South Australian tourism calendar, and it is certainly the biggest event of its kind in Eyre Peninsula. I acknowledge the tireless efforts of their committee and also the volunteers who help out here, there and everywhere in the lead-up to Tunarama and on the weekend itself.

There were many sponsors, but this year Bendigo Bank had major sponsor's rights, so our thanks to them. Bendigo Bank has established a very successful local branch in Port Lincoln, as well as in Cummins and Tumby Bay. They came on board and had naming rights. I would of course also like to acknowledge the support of the locals. It is not just visitors who come to town for Tunarama; it is well supported by the local population as well.

I would particularly like to thank the local media for their support, including ABC Local Radio, 5CC, Magic 89.9 and Southern Cross Media. The people who staff these organisations at a local level are media personalities in their own right, and they throw themselves into supporting Tunarama to make sure that all the activities and festivities are compered and carried out in a popular and professional manner. Well done to all involved.