Small Business Grants

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (14:22): My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General update the house on the work the government is doing to assist local traders during COVID-19?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:22): I am very happy to do so, and I thank the member for the question. Of course, he has a very important and thriving area down in Glenelg, a great place for all South Australians to visit, especially in the summer.

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Cheltenham!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: The Hutt Street precinct, along with Rundle Street and O'Connell Street, is a very active area within our city of Adelaide space, which largely operates as a great hub of hospitality but also has a number of retailers in a condensed space and in retail strips. We have seen a number of traders, through COVID-19, obviously face very difficult times, and I'm pleased to say, in the Hutt Street area particularly, there have been 75 businesses that have benefited from the assistance of the government's $10,000 emergency cash grants for small business.

The member for Adelaide, the Hon. Rachel Sanderson, has been tireless as the local member in raising this issue to advocate for the security of the local retail sector across her electorate of Adelaide. In this particular area, there had been the announcement of the excellent Hutt St Centre, which provides services for those who are unable to provide for all their own shelter and food needs. That has created some aspects of disquiet but, as a government, we have continued to work with the Hutt St Centre and other services with the Minister for Human Services and, of course, the Hutt Street traders.

Members might recall that the Justice Rehabilitation Fund was established back in 2016 to recoup funds in relation to some of the proceeds of crime for drug offences. Although it didn't seem to have any money in it for a long time after it was established in 2016, since we have been in office there has been an accumulation of funds. We have been able to allocate this money to give to the Hutt Street traders—this is from Pirie Street down to South Terrace—to purchase and install safety hardware as part of their crime prevention strategy.

I remind members that there is also the Hutt Street and CitySafe CCTV network, which is a joint initiative of the Adelaide city council. I would also like to thank the chair of the Hutt Street Traders Association, Ms Colette Slight, who has been rolling out the CCTV into the Hutt Street area. Keeping the community safe has been an important part of our government achieving to support this critical retail precinct. As I say, it is certainly a hub of hospitality and it is one which we want to continue to support.

I thank those in the Hutt Street Traders Association, the member for Adelaide particularly, and all of those who serve at the highly commended Hutt St Centre, which now will, I think, have the benefit to assist the support of all those who visit this precinct and enjoy their hospitality.