Hammond Electorate

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:17): I want to talk about what a great year it has been in Hammond under the Marshall Liberal government. I want to start off with the great announcement from Thomas Foods International, who will rebuild their plant, and work is ongoing, and the fast moving of the regulatory work so that we can get the roadworks sorted out off Mannum Road into the new greenfield site so that the beef plant can be up and running in 2020-21. Those 2,000 jobs, so badly needed, can then come into my community to support the meat industry, not just in South Australia but as a hub for drawing in livestock from right across Australia. Murray Bridge is exactly the right location.

Working with the federal government, $24 million is going into community infrastructure with roadworks, water infrastructure, gas installation and power connection. We will make this work. It will also connect into the 4,500 jobs that come in behind those 2,000 direct jobs at Thomas Foods. I salute Costa Adelaide Mushrooms for their investment of over $70 million in doubling their plant at Monarto. Costa Adelaide Mushrooms is a great investment, a great employer in my electorate and a big investment. Big River Pork have made a $14 million investment, increasing their offering so that more pork can be put through that plant. It is so good to see pork on the up lately in Australia.

There was the opening of the Gifford Hill racecourse, and what a great racecourse it is. I was there again only the other day. I have been to several events there. The Bridges Event Centre is there, and they are diversifying running events right across the board. John Buhagiar and his team are doing a great job, with a $35 million build that is transforming racing in this state. It is the premier track in this state, and anyone who has had a horse on there, any jockey who has ridden on there, anyone who has spoken to me about that track reckons it is the best in the country. That is saying something because it has been down for over seven years waiting for the facilities to be built.

A greyhound track has just gone in: an $8 million investment for the greyhound industry operating in Murray Bridge, usually on a Sunday evening or night. It is a fantastic venue with a fantastic atmosphere to go to the dogs to see a few races. There is also The Bend Motorsport Park with Sam Shahin and the Peregrine Group and their investment of over $160 million. What an investment into my area, into my community, that is providing much-needed employment right across the sector. I see sons and daughters of mates of mine from Coomandook, Tailem Bend and further afield as far as Tungkillo working there.

We have the Bridgeport Hotel redevelopment, and it is great to see that finally getting underway under the Tregoning Group: a $40 million investment into a six-storey, four-star hotel, which is going to be so good for accommodation in my area. There is the $55 million investment in the Monarto Safari Park, $40 million of which is coming from Gerry Ryan of Jayco, Victorian money, with the state government and the federal government putting $15 million into the new entrance facilities there.

There is also the magnificent development at the Murray Bridge Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, the new emergency department I lobbied for and managed to get as an election promise under this government. A $7 million new emergency department will be such a boon for medical needs right across my community. Millions of dollars will go into the Browns Well and Ngarkat highways to get them up to 110 km/h. As part of the $80 million investment in schools and fast broadband, plus the millions of dollars going into the STEM project, there are new facilities and new classrooms and this investment going into my community is absolutely fantastic. Plus many hundreds of millions of dollars are going into solar farms across the board.

In the last few seconds, I want to reflect on the crippling drought across the country affecting some parts of Hammond worse than others. It is great to see the success that some farmers have had on very limited rain. But my heart does go out to those who have suffered for a second and third year of drought. Let's just hope for everyone's sake, whether you are a dryland farmer or an irrigator, that it rains real soon.