Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (15:42): I want to speak today about the state of affairs with EP Cruises, who provide one of the most incredible nature-based tourism experiences in our state, with their Fowlers Bay whale cruise experience being a spectacular, unique, bucket list experience, one that every South Australian should visit and experience.

The EP Cruise operator, Rod Keogh, is one of the most passionate tourism and environment advocates you will find in the nation. Every Australian should experience it. In fact, perhaps the tourism minister should experience it. Maybe she can visit. Perhaps the environment minister should visit. Because, being such a passionate tourism and environmental advocate, Mr Keough has been endeavouring to deliver more unique experiences for people visiting the far west of our state.

He simply wants to be able to take people for overnight visits to the Nuyts Archipelago and Investigator Group of Islands, which are remote island clusters out on the Far West Coast. Indeed, he was allowed to for a short period of time. However, then the environment department decided they wanted to add some additional regulation, restriction and red tape. They developed a draft island management plan which, if accepted by the minister, will mean that this business will not be able to stay overnight, which will render the experience unable to be delivered because of its remoteness.

From my perspective, that is completely unnecessary. EP Cruises and Rod Keogh are incredibly conscientious environmental managers who have spent significant funds but have been let down by actions and inaction from the tourism and environment departments. I am asking the environment minister to please intervene and allow this experience to continue.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:44): Today I recognise two great South Australian National Premier Leagues football (also known as soccer) teams based in Torrens: Adelaide City whose home ground is in Oakden, and North Eastern MetroStars whose home ground is in Klemzig. Last Saturday night, I was delighted to attend the first leg of the 2024 NPL South Australia semi-final at Adelaide City Park featuring these two great clubs, wearing both scarves: the black and white (Adelaide City), and the black, red and yellow (MetroStars). I was joined by Adelaide City president, Angelo Carrozza, and MetroStars president, Rob Rende, and I had the honour of tossing the coin.

What followed was a hard-fought game. After a tense 90 minutes of play, the first leg of the semi-final ended in a 0-0 draw, making way for a blockbuster this Friday night when MetroStars host Adelaide City at T.K. Shutter Reserve for the second leg of their 2024 NPL South Australia semi-final. I encourage all locals who can get down to T.K. Shutter Reserve on Friday night to cheer on these two successful NPL teams.

It is fair to say I feel safe in the knowledge that one of these great Torrens' soccer clubs will take their place in the 2024 National Premier Leagues South Australia Grand Final on Friday 6 September. On that occasion, I can assure you, I will be wearing only one team's colours: black and white or black, red and yellow. It is still to be decided.

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (15:46): The regional city of Whyalla has been through a lot this year. Recently, steel production was resumed after a four-month shutdown due to excessive cooling of the blast furnace. ABC News has recently reported that several contractors who supply services to Whyalla's steelworks are owed tens of thousands of dollars by the plant's owner. I have had similar concerns raised with me on a recent trip to the Upper Spencer Gulf. GFG needs to prioritise paying their contractors. GFG are also delaying the purchase of an electric arc furnace until at least 2027, with a lack of availability and the cost of hydrogen as reasons. Twiggy Forrest has also walked away from his hydrogen ambitions, including those in SA, citing prohibitive costs.

Labor's costly hydrogen plant is relying on GFG to be an offtake partner for their steelworks. Now we hear the blast furnace is again being shut down awaiting a shipment of coking coal. In April last year, the Premier and Prime Minister gleefully announced the closure of the steelworks coking coal oven. Fifty staff are losing their jobs, with GFG explaining there is an extended downturn in the steel market globally. The Premier needs to explain what risks and delays these issues at the Whyalla steelworks pose to Labor's Stalinist-sounding State Prosperity Project. Labor is spending millions of taxpayers' dollars in advertising this project to justify spending $700 million of taxpayers' money on their hydrogen plant.

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (15:47): This morning we got the fantastic news that our community has won the campaign to 'sink the rink' and for that I thank all the community members who signed my petition, who attended the rally, who called their local councillors and who attended local council meetings to show their opposition to the proposed ice rink on Sturt Road at Marion. I do acknowledge that there are some in the community who liked the idea of ice skating at Marion but, in reality, there was strong community opposition to this project and that was for multiple reasons.

Traffic on Sturt Road is already really heavy. We see multiple accidents there on a regular basis and no-one wanted to see more traffic in that area. Importantly, too, we have saved two significant trees, two beautiful significant gum trees, that will no longer be chopped down to make way for this ice arena. But let's not forget the community sports groups at that precinct who were also against this proposal because they want more open space. Our community sports clubs want more room to grow and I support their every effort to maintain their fantastic clubs and hopefully find a new home for the Marion Tennis Club at the precinct as well.

Sitting extended beyond 18:00 on motion of Hon. A. Koutsantonis.