Parks 2025 Program

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Can the minister inform the house how the Marshall Liberal government is supporting South  Australia's recovery through the Parks 2025 strategy?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:59): I thank the member for Flinders for his question, and I know that he has a great interest in the investment that the Marshall Liberal government is making in our national parks—record investment in the capital upgrades to our national parks. Unfortunately, of course, after the huge cuts inflicted by the former Labor government, reaching a record investment is actually quite easy.

We have to bear that in mind when we use the word 'record', but it is a very, very significant investment—$22 million of capital upgrades in our national parks through the Parks 2025 program. That will be spread all across our state, but in particular regional South Australia, because we know that the creation of destinations in regional South Australia, such as the member for Flinders' electorate, really draws people into those areas, enables them to spend the tourism dollar and that is so valuable to sustaining and building up our regional communities. Parks 2025 focuses on a number of precincts around the state—

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I know we shouldn't respond to interjections but, really, the member for Mawson is making all sorts of claims about Flinders Chase. This government will rebuild Flinders Chase. We will get onto it, but we will make it safe first. He spent weeks and weeks telling this place that he didn't want people to go to KI, and now he says he wants people to come to KI. He needs to get his story straight and start representing his constituents decently. Inconsistent hypocrites, that's what they are—inconsistent hypocrites.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order. The member for Kaurna has a point of order. I would like to hear the point of order.

Mr PICTON: Debate.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I believe that the minister is beginning to deviate, but what I am going to do is I am going to ask the member for Mawson respectfully to take an early minute and leave for the remainder of question time.

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell: You're kicking me out every time I stick up for my electorate?

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson will leave for half an hour.

The honourable member for Mawson having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: Minister, could we come back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. This is a government that is looking after Kangaroo Island and can do so from the chamber, unlike their local member. It's a shame the member for Mawson won't be here to hear this because, of the $22 million—

The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —$7 million is going to Kangaroo Island.

The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order. I ask the minister not to deviate from the substance of the question and reflect on members. You have made your point, I have ejected the member for Mawson, I would like you to come back to the substance of the question. That would help me greatly.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. And, of course, of the $22 million that we are investing in regional South Australia through this program, Parks 2025, $7 million—almost one-third of the entire total—is going towards Kangaroo Island, and it is not actually going to the area of Kangaroo Island that will be rebuilt as a consequence of the fires; that is happening separately.

It is actually going to activate areas in the east end of the island, around the Dudley Peninsula, Cape Gantheaume and to Antechamber Bay, Cape Willoughby and Murray Lagoon at Seal Bay, areas we can get working on quickly to create destinations and opportunities for people to visit aside from the fire recovery programs so that Kangaroo Island does have a sustainable tourism industry in the short term as well as the long term as we reopen and re-imagine what the western end of that island can be.

Other parts of our state that will benefit from the Parks 2025 program include the Southern Flinders Ranges, a network of parks around Mount Remarkable that will see a substantial uplift focusing particularly on hiking, mountain biking and outdoor adventure sports. We are also looking at undertaking work at Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park, at Ediacaran, with the great fossils there, and at Cleland in the Adelaide Hills.

There is so much opportunity to invest in our national parks. This is something we are going to continue to do. We know that 16 years and $150 million of cuts to the environment department's budget is not happening on our watch. We are having a record capital investment. We are getting on with it, and we are using this to stimulate regional economies when they are doing it tough.