Primary Producers

Ms PRATT (Frome) (15:32): It delights me to take this opportunity today to give the house an update on all things happening in the electorate of Frome: some mixed emotions, a variety of things going well and things going not so well. I lead off by raising in this chamber my concern for so many primary producers at the moment who are facing challenges back at home when it comes to low rainfall and a harvest that is being compromised by the elements.

Whether it is grapegrowers through the valley or people through the Mid North and broadacre plains of Balaklava and Mallala growing canola and grain crops that sadly are looking thin and not as we would hope, a lush harvest at the moment, my concerns for their efforts must be noted.

In the last few weeks I have been concerned about growers in the horticultural sector of my electorate in Two Wells and Lewiston, those growers who are affected by the tomato brown rugose fruit virus, which has been widely reported and is certainly receiving the attention and advocacy it needs from peak bodies like AUSVEG.

I was really grateful to have met with a number of growers as well as seedling suppliers. I want to extend my thanks to Oriana and Con, Jack, Emmanuel and Antonio for their hospitality and receiving me at their site to fully understand and explore with them exactly how the process of applying the testing protocols is impacting their businesses' viability.

We know external to this chamber that conversations are being played out at the state and federal level, but I represent the growers and I am concerned about their welfare, their prospects, their frustrations, their anxiety. It is important that I take this opportunity to recognise what wonderful families they come from and how over generations they have built up this fabulous, rich horticultural environment through Gawler River, around Two Wells, Lewiston, Virginia and Angle Vale, and how important it is that they see advocates in us when it comes to a threat to their family farming business.

Biosecurity is to be taken very seriously and the opposition representing so much of rural South Australia does that, but when it comes to the process that these growers are experiencing at the mercy, if you like, of interstate testing labs, I extend my compassion and respect to them while they wait for results to come through.

On a lighter note, there is a lot happening in Frome through the Clare Valley and Balaklava region, and I want to do quick shout-out to a number of organisations that have kept my diary full, kicking off with the Piebald Merino stud sheep expo at the Horizon Christian School Campus in Balaklava, a fantastic campus led by current principal, Mike Clisby—we farewell him at the end of the year and we welcome the new principal, Dominic, coming in—Dr Kathy Adams, the student leaders and a number of educators who welcomed the community in to this fantastic expo.

We heard from Andrew and Rosemary Michael of Leahcim, a fantastic husband and wife duo promoting all the virtues of the natural fibres and products we get from raising sheep. That was an opportunity to try the lamb sausage sizzle, to have a tour around the agriculture department of the school, and to recognise the importance of agriculture education in our system, both private and public.

I was also able to pop in to the Ira Parker aged-care nursing home where CEO of Yorke and Northern LHN, Roger Kirchner, Chair John Voumard, Mayor Rodney Reid, and a number of family members celebrated the opening of the bedrooms, ensuite, sunroom and pergola. I thank everyone for their efforts to bring that to a head.