Murraylands Community Support

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. Can the minister update the house on community supports to Murray Bridge and the Murraylands?

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (14:43): Thanks to the member for the question, and also to her commitment for a better life for all South Australians, importantly those in the regions. In the past week, we saw yet another huge example of the government's commitment to the long-term future of South Australia and its regions. The trip to the Upper Spencer Gulf, including community meetings in Whyalla, Port Augusta and Port Pirie, show that we are listening and delivering for regional South Australia.

I have spoken in this place a number of times about our support to the South-East and the Upper Spencer Gulf, and I am really pleased to have the opportunity to talk about the work also in Murray Bridge. In the last few weeks, our recovery centre that had been operating for more than a year to help people after the 2022-23 floods closed its doors. I want to say a huge thankyou to everyone involved. I am advised that the fixed and pop-up recovery centres recorded 3,547 attendances; 2,142 grants, totalling $6.7 million; 2,544 nights of accommodation; and 230 residents provided with ongoing case management.

While these centres were run by South Australian Housing Authority staff, they were supported by Green Industries SA, PIRSA, Wellbeing SA, the Department for Environment and Water, the Office for Small and Family Business, ac.care, Neami, BlazeAid, Rural Business Support, Good Shepherd, Red Cross, Disaster and Recovery Ministries and the Salvation Army.

The state government has committed more than $194 million in partnership with the commonwealth to assess the ongoing road to recovery, offering tailored supports to residents, primary producers, small businesses and councils. The recent food security grants, also from the Department of Human Services, are helping specifically people in the Murray Bridge community.

The Murray Bridge Community Centre's How Does Your Garden Grow program secured $42,097 to support the Murray Bridge Community Garden. This grant will help up to 100 households attend workshops who then will receive a fully functioning garden bed to construct, fill, plant and maintain at their home at the conclusion of the session.

The Living Waters Community Church received $41,034 to expand its alfresco area at the hub, which gets around 140 visitors per week and is beyond capacity. The new capacity, which is expected to double at the site, will build a freestanding pergola and verandah to connect the function hall to the food pantry and existing pergola. These are extraordinarily valuable projects.

We are working also to improve housing in Murray Bridge. It's being boosted by the government's commitment for an extra $232.7 million over four years in public housing. At the moment, it's supporting a dozen new homes in Murray Bridge as part of a wider program for 150 extra homes across regional South Australia.

Last week, also, I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the Studio Purpose youth apartments in Murray Bridge. It is the second project where Habitat for Humanity has led the construction phase of the project, overseen by ac.care. The project converted two public housing duplexes into four units that are suitable for young people. This addresses a critical need in the region. Donors, builders, material suppliers, tradespeople and businesses, along with volunteers, all combined their efforts to complete the construction phase of this second Studio Purpose housing project.

In closing, I really want to extend my gratitude to the local member, the member for Hammond, who, apart from attending a number of these events and supporting the grant applications, has also taken time out to accompany me on a visit to a difficult situation, where a local constituent and a public housing tenant were trying to negotiate some, shall we say, improvements around an issue.

Mr Pederick: I think we are nearly there. I think we are there.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I think we are nearly there. This has been a piece of work where together we have been able to solve this issue in collaboration. I think the message from that is that the community does appreciate seeing their elected members work together to manage their concerns. I wanted to pass on my thanks on record.