Riverland Economy

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:26): I would like to give an update to the chamber on some of the challenges that the Riverland is facing at the moment. Sadly, it is culminating in a matter of circumstances that just continue to exacerbate the region. Currently, we are still recovering from the 2022 flood event; the clean-up continues. That flood event that has now been regarded as one in almost a century flood really has left its mark on the region.

While we are cleaning up, the grain growers this year have been hit by frosts, the wine industry has been absolutely mauled by the China tariffs, and the ability to rebuild those relationships will take a considerable amount of time. Now we are facing other trading tariffs with the US election results and potentially it will see a real barrier to some of these markets, potentially to some product that comes out of the Riverland.

Sadly, one of the worst frost events since 1982, just a month ago, has decimated crops right around the region. We saw damage right across South Australia, but the horticulture crops have seen a significant amount of loss and that is on the back of, as I said, the clean-ups, the China tariffs and the price reduction in that product.

The weather is one thing, China is another, but when I write to the minister looking for assistance, looking for some level of recognition in September and I do not receive a response from her it really does make me wonder just what is going on within the minister's primary production or agriculture office. The full evaluation of the damage, particularly from the frost, should have been immediate, not in a moment or when we get there.

What has happened is we have seen the frost, we have seen that crop burn, we have seen the damage, but in those four or five weeks since the frost, the vines have continued to grow. They are green again, so it is an artificial sense that everything is okay. But if you look underneath the canopy of the vineyards, there is no fruit. We have green foliage, but we have nothing that pays the bills. I guess what we really do need to look at is the full evaluation of the damage. I have sent invitations to the Premier and the minister to come out and ground-truth the impacts of the frost, the impacts and the hardship that is currently being experienced, particularly by the wine-growing population and the wine industry.

What we need to consider is emergency disaster support measures and allocate adequate resources, particularly to the FaB Scout program. As I said, we cannot get any satisfaction from the minister when we do not get any answers and we do not get a response. Also in September I asked the Treasurer, 'What support measures will be in place?' He really regurgitated what the minister had said, and that was very, very little.

What I must say is the harsh reality is the full extent of the damage has been done. We are now seeing the result of the damage in the horticultural tree crops. We are seeing a lot of almonds that have fallen on the ground and a lot of citrus is now on the ground. This is the harsh reality of the vagaries of being a primary producer and dealing with natural weather events. Where there is a role for government to play, they have almost gone missing.

Where to from here? In the immediacy it is checking on people's mental health, particularly those in the wine grape sector. Did you know that the Murray Mallee has the highest rate of suicide in South Australian regions, an average of 13 deaths every year? It needs to be ensured that they do have an adequate support mechanism that will help through these difficult times.

I also urge those struggling to utilise the Farm Household Allowance and engage with the FaB Scout mentoring program, because it is there to help. We need to look at how the Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) loans can be accessed and the application process can be expedited.

In the longer term, I have written to both state and federal ministers, looking to reignite the opportunity. We had a Horticultural Netting Infrastructure Program. Why can't we futureproof some of that horticulture with a frost fan program, something that could be put into place to help futureproof a lot of those very valuable crops that have been smashed by the frost?

Again, we do need new trading partners. We do need state and federal government to better understand how we mitigate some of these challenges that our primary producers are facing, particularly in the Riverland. I have written to too many ministers and received too little response. It is time for the governments to get on board and come out and have a look at the damage.

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey, I think it might be eight years today since that devastating hailstorm that ripped through the Riverland as well. I remember being up there the following day with you and Anne Ruston examining the damage, which, as you pointed out, goes on for months and months after the event.