MATTERS OF INTEREST

REGIONAL COMMUNITIES

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:29): I rise today to address two matters of particular relevance to regional communities. On 19 October I had great pride in standing alongside the Liberal leader, Ms Isobel Redmond, at Port Augusta, as she announced our policy to direct 25 per cent of mining royalties from general revenue into the Regional Development Infrastructure Fund, otherwise known as RDIF.

This initiative represents an investment of about $40 million of additional funding into regional South Australia in 2010-11. Indeed, using the government's own forward estimates, it appears that by 2012-13 RDIF will have $50 million dedicated to infrastructure in rural and regional South Australia. Again, using current state government modelling, this level of investment is likely to boost the South Australian economy by $6.4 billion and create over 8,000 jobs.

The Regional Development Infrastructure Fund was established by a former Liberal government in 1999. A decade later, the fund has invested $27 million supporting projects worth a total of $1.1 billion and collectively creating 4,900 jobs. It has been a worthy initiative by a former Liberal government. Sadly, under this city-centric Labor government, the fund has not only lagged but also been stripped of vital funding, currently investing a paltry $2.5 million per annum. So, here we have a fund which invests in regional South Australia and which is achieving great results, and the Rann government's response is to strip its funding.

I note the recent announcements about funding from RDIF by the minister, the Hon. Paul Caica. They are welcome, but regional communities can expect much more from RDIF under a Liberal government. The reason for slashing its funding is very simple: it is the Rann government's neglect of regional South Australia in favour of the city. This government would rather invest the money in a tram extension in the city than fix country roads. It would rather strip funding from country health to pay for its rail yards hospital, and it would rather double the capacity of Adelaide's desalination plant while at the same time turning its back on the Upper Spencer Gulf desalinisation plant.

It is clear that there is only one major party which cares about and understands regional South Australia and which has a track record on which it can look back and be proud, and that is the state Liberal Party. This policy is good for the economy, good for regional South Australians and good for the state.

The expanded Liberal RDIF will utilise 25 per cent of mining royalties exclusively for infrastructure. In addition, it will contribute 50 per cent of the total project costs. Eligible applicants and proponents, whether they be local government, regional development boards or private bodies, will need to commit the other 50 per cent prior to seeking the grant. This ensures that the regional community will have to work together as a team for the project to get under way. It will create investment and it will give regional communities a say in the future direction of their community, and it gives them a stake in each and every project. It is a responsible, fiscally prudent strategy to ensure continuing investment in regional South Australia.

The response to this announcement has been most encouraging, and regional South Australians have welcomed the plan with open arms. Unfortunately, the Treasurer, the Hon. Kevin Foley, denigrated this increased investment in regional South Australia as political window-dressing, saying he has never been a fan of diverting mining royalties away from general revenue for reinvestment back into regional South Australia. I say very clearly to people all across this state that the only way to ensure that this $40 million at least will be invested in infrastructure for regional South Australia is to vote for an Isobel Redmond government at the next election.

On another matter, suicide prevention is something I have raised in this place on many occasions. When new minister Lomax-Smith came into the mental health portfolio last year, I raised the Community Response to Eliminating Suicide (CORES) program with her. In September last year I was promised by that minister and the Social Inclusion Commissioner that it would be part of a review of mental health and suicide prevention issues. After my repeated correspondence and inquiries in January and July this year, in October this year I was finally offered a briefing, which will not take place until December. Certainly, regional communities are very concerned about suicide prevention, and I wish the government shared that concern.

Time expired.