Frome Electorate

Ms PRATT (Frome) (15:23): I want to speak today on the fabulous region of the Adelaide Plains around the Gawler River, and to kick off by talking about the Tourism Summit that was held most recently, hosted by the Adelaide Plains Council and supported by the South Australian Tourism Council and TiCSA. That summit held at the football club really kicked off some serious ambition that my region has to lift their profile and to attract the visitor economy.

They name themselves, rightly, the gateway to the north. You cannot cross the Gawler River without a plan to head further north and you have to do that through my electorate of Frome. It was with great pleasure that we heard from Jamie Koch, who is part of the Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster on the day they were launching a new logo for that cluster group. Some of the best things are simple, with the logo and the branding simply saying 'Grown on the Adelaide Plains'.

It will not surprise you, Mr Speaker, as someone who has a great appreciation for marketing and promotion of the regions, that it does not just stop at 'Grown on the Adelaide Plains'. If you're out at Port Parham crabbing, well it was caught on the Adelaide Plains. If you're calling into the Two Wells bakery for a lamb shank pie, then it was baked on the Adelaide Plains. And if you are consuming mesclun lettuce from Rainbow Fresh, then it was probably picked on the Adelaide Plains. They've got a fantastic story to tell about their produce.

To unpack the economy of the 'salad bowl' of the Adelaide Plains, then we know that the vegetable industry is worth over $400 million for that region; that nuts bring in $17 million to our economy; fruits over $700,000; grains, no surprise across the beautiful Mallala Plains, at $70 million; and the livestock, tying that up for a healthy $40 million.

This region, this river region, these plains are rich. The alluvial soil delivers us a bounty. We get to consume those baby qukes from Perfection Fresh. It is a product that should be celebrated. They know that and they want to tie that to the tourist dollar, and why shouldn't they? So this community is certainly very excited about a community led strategy to build a local economy around tourism. The Adelaide Plains Council shares this vision with local businesses, and I think we all share the knowledge of exciting opportunities to come.

But all is not well when it comes to government investment in infrastructure and services. This chamber has heard from me many times since August last year of the very unfortunate discovery of the arrival on our shores, and the Adelaide Plains, of the tomato brown rugose virus. It has crippled a South Australian industry that represents between 50 to 70 per cent of the nation's supply.

And I must draw attention to the energy that we saw from the government today, from the Minister for Energy and Mining, his enthusiasm and passion for a passionate project based in Whyalla for green steel and hydrogen. It is a tragedy every time jobs are lost in South Australia, but this is a government that is quick to get on a plane for 250 jobs lost in Whyalla, but not a peep from the government or the local members, the member for Light and the member for Taylor, when it comes to 500 jobs lost from Perfection Fresh. It is shameful that we have a government that picks and chooses, cherrypicks, pun intended, the jobs that it is going to fight for.

So, whether it is Perfection Fresh losing 500 jobs or standing people down, Perpetual Holdings in the seat of Taylor, in the region of Riverlee, that has just gone into voluntary liquidation last week, or SA Tomato and the fabulous Peter and Ariana Petsios who are devastated by their business being forced to close down while the quarantine and test results continue to cripple their business, I demand from the government and the Minister for Primary Industries that more is done for this group.

When it comes to the school, I note that the member for Newland demonstrated that advocacy and letters to the minister is enough for $10 million to her school, and I look forward to the Two Wells Primary School receiving something similar.