Economic Stimulus Package

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Planning. Can the minister update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is supporting South Australia's recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 through local projects?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:52): I can. For the benefit of the house—and I also thank the member for Colton for the question—I look forward to further announcements being made around projects under the government's Planning and Development Fund, a process which is underway at the moment. As part of this government's $350 million stimulus package, the first in the nation, $50 million was a local government and state government co-contributed funding grant round to help improve the amenity in our local communities.

There are projects to help green parts of Adelaide, projects that normally used to help upgrade main streets and upgrade play spaces, but generally the focus this year is around this government's ambition to improve tree canopy cover here in Adelaide. It's a cause very dear to my heart, and it's a cause very dear to the Minister for Environment and Water's heart. Using this $50 million will be a great step forward for South Australia, for Adelaide in particular, helping to reverse some of the effects of the urban heat island that we see happening in various pockets of our community.

It gave me great pleasure—great pleasure—to announce, in conjunction with the member for Black, a $2.44 million contribution, matched by the Marion council, towards improving the coast path down at Marino, which is an important part of the coast path network. It was an ambition that was actually first put forward by the Hon. Diana Laidlaw, who said that the part of our metropolitan coastline from Port Adelaide right through into the southern suburbs needs to have a continuous path that provides the opportunity for people in Adelaide, as well as tourists to our city, to be able to enjoy the phenomenal coastline that we have.

Over time, successive governments have invested more and more into this coast path, and it is exciting that this government is getting on and finishing Diana Laidlaw's legacy. Helping to repair the boardwalk in the member for Black's electorate is an important part of that—helping to repair, reopen and extend the existing boardwalk, which was dilapidated over a number of years of neglect. We will see a new section of the trail sensitively designed, built from Heron Way Reserve to the Field River mouth.

The sections of the boardwalk that span the Grey Road and Kurnabinna Terrace gullies will be entirely rebuilt. This also helps to reinforce and improve another great Marshall Liberal government initiative and that is Glenthorne Farm, a national park that is going to benefit from this coast path upgrade. This means that there will be 30,000 people a year will be able to walk the full eight-kilometre length from Marino to Hallett Cove.

Importantly, this project is commencing immediately with on-site works to begin within months. This is one project, one of 159 projects totalling some $290 million, that has applied to be part of the government's Planning and Development Fund grant round. These projects are going to help provide stimulus into local communities right across South Australia. They are going to help improve the natural amenity and tree cover in the City of Adelaide.

I look forward to making those announcements, especially around how we can improve and continue the great legacy of Diana Laidlaw's vision for a coast path up and down our metropolitan coastline, for all South Australians to be able to better enjoy their city and also for the jobs that it creates, especially during this global pandemic.