Legislative Council Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Riverland Sustainable Futures Fund RIVERLAND SUSTAINABLE FUTURES FUND The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS Legislative Council RIVERLAND SUSTAINABLE FUTURES FUND The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:47): I have a supplementary question. Will the minister concede that the significant cuts to PIRSA research and development funding have restricted the potential to develop new horticultural crops and varieties ideally suited to the Riverland climate and soils? The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling RIVERLAND SUSTAINABLE FUTURES FUND The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (14:47): I am speechless, Mr President, absolutely speechless. I am gobsmacked. The Rann government has done more for regional South Australia than the former Liberal government. We stand on our track record. We have done more for our regions than the former Liberal government. The Hon. D.W. Ridgway Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: The only thing you stand on is the hands of progress. The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Well, you stand on your head. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Thank you, Mr President. There were cuts. There was a program of savings that this government put in place in response to the global economic crisis and the issues around that. Every agency had to wear cuts, and we were open and transparent about that and very clear about the reasons why. Every agency had to share in that pain, and that pain is about making sure that we have a prosperous long-term sustainable future. The Riverland has received, if you like, the lion's share—a $20 million fund, plus it still has access to all those others, the RDIF funding grants, etc. There is a plethora of assistance available to it, so it is absolutely outrageous. As I said, I stand by the track record and the commitment that this government has given to regional South Australia.