OUTBACK COMMUNITIES AUTHORITY

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:36): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations and Regional Development a question regarding the Outback Communities Authority.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: The Outback Communities Authority is currently seeking nominations for membership. Can the minister tell the chamber about the Outback Communities Authority and their role?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:37): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. I know that he has a ferocious personal interest—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Minister for State/Local Government Relations—

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —in this area—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister, just wait. Everyone finished? Minister.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —and he did a great deal of very good work in this area. He showed his very strong commitment to outback communities, so I'm very happy to take this question from him.

The Outback Communities Authority was established on 1 July 2010, pursuant to the Outback Communities (Administration and Management) Act 2009. The authority formally recognises and assists approximately 4,000 Australians residing in numerous small communities—I think there are about 30—service locations, and also pastoral/farming properties in the outback.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Russell visited them all.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: In fact, I might perhaps take a government question on which places the Hon. Russell Wortley visited and remind the chamber of his diligence.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: It would bear repeating. He nearly stayed there too.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Dawkins is not helping.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: There are service locations and pastoral/farming properties in the outback. It's a vast area that it covers—roughly 65 per cent of our state is covered.

An honourable member: Have you been there?

The PRESIDENT: You'll visit soon.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: It functions to manage the provision of, and promote improvements in, public services and facilities for outback communities and articulate views, interests and aspirations of these communities of which I have visited many. I very much enjoy visiting the outback—great communities and incredibly interesting people.

The authority currently comprises seven members, four of whom come from or have a direct interest in outback communities. The current members were appointed for three years on 1 July 2010 and their term will expire on 30 June 2013. I am delighted today to invite people who are passionate about outback communities and would like an opportunity to represent the region to nominate for membership of the Outback Communities Authority. Notices calling for nominations have been placed in the Adelaide Advertiser, northern regional newspapers, the South Australian Stock Journal and also the authority's website.

Being a member of the authority is a great opportunity to assist in shaping the future of the outback of South Australia by advocating for other local residents. The current membership has shown a genuine commitment in serving the outback and, certainly, a high degree of enthusiasm in the way that they contribute to their communities. Residents who share these sorts of ideals are, obviously, very much encouraged to apply.

We would also welcome nominations for membership of the authority from people who have previous experience or already possess skills in areas such as financial management, community engagement, strategic planning, community governance, law or business and wish to utilise them in another capacity. Since establishment, the authority has developed an annual business plan and an inaugural five-year strategic management plan and has successfully engaged with outback residents to help guide the course of these plans.

The authority has shown dedication to involving communities, and the outback authority has been involved in a great deal of other work, including providing financial and practical support to volunteers involved in the administration and governance of local progress associations, and the provision and maintenance of local infrastructure, such as public toilets, UHF repeater stations, airstrips, and suchlike. The authority also makes project grants available to communities to help upgrade their facilities, purchase equipment, and suchlike, and I am advised that the one-off funding has an upper limit of about $10,000.

The authority, with the support of the former minister for state/local government relations, also established the Andamooka Town Management Committee in January 2012, and they have achieved a great deal. I am advised that the authority, APOMA and the ATMC have recently consulted the Andamooka community on future governance options, and they will provide me with that feedback. I was pleased to meet with Cecilia Woolford, Chair of the ATMC, and she gave me an update on the numerous developments, which I was very impressed with. I really admire the work that she and that group have done.

The continued success of the authority depends on those persons who are obviously passionate about living in the outback and willing to give their time and commitment to serving their communities, and I certainly urge members of the chamber to encourage any person that they may have identified to put their nomination forward.