REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:11): I seek leave to ask the Minister for Regional Development and Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about regional development funding in the Limestone Coast area.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Grant funding was approved from stream 2 of the Regional Development Fund to Mayura Station in Millicent. Will the minister inform the chamber of how this funding will benefit Mayura Station and the Limestone Coast region?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Minister for Regional Development has the call.

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) (15:12): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Restructuring of the regional development infrastructure fund enabled the government to establish the new Regional Development Fund (the RDF). This fund aims to increase the prosperity of regional communities by facilitating projects and programs that support sustainable, economic development. The RDF is a $3 million per annum, merit-based grant program which is directed at delivering PIRSA's regional development objectives and the government's seven priority areas.

The fund consists of two streams and stream 2 of the fund provides support to leverage funds to deliver projects that develop and support the priorities of the Premium Food and Wine From Our Clean Environment, Growing Advanced Manufacturing, or Realising the Benefits of the Mining Boom for All.

South Australian non-metropolitan RDAs, regional local government, along with private sector business and industry, and community organisations are all eligible to apply for funding under stream 2. Each proponent of an eligible project can access funding from $50,000 to a maximum of $200,000. I am very pleased to be able to announce that the A. de Bruin and A.S. de Bruin Partnership, who trade under the name Mayura Station, have been successful in their application for a grant of $200,000.

Based in Millicent, in this state's beautiful Limestone Coast region, this grant will assist South Australia's premier full-blood Wagyu beef producer to meet growing export demand and create new job opportunities. The Mayura Station has current capabilities to run a 500-head feedlot. Mayura Station, and its full-blood Wagyu beef, has a significant national and international reputation as a producer of ultra premium quality. It currently exports to South-East Asia, China and the Middle East, and its beef can be found in some of the top-rated restaurants in those regions.

However, the catch-22 of having a product with superior quality and reputation, such as the full-blood Wagyu beef from Mayura Station, is, of course, an increase in demand for exports. It can be difficult to keep up with the popularity of our premium food and wine overseas, and, of course, our reputation is growing as our clean, premium credentials continue to be heard and understood overseas.

The South Australian government recognises that support for primary industries is vital, not just to our state's economy but to the development of vibrant, strong regions. Unlike others, we do more than just talk about supporting our industries and regions; we actually fund them. You will note, Mr President, that those opposite have very little to say when, just last week, their federal Liberal colleagues announced they would withdraw funding from some of the projects in the federal Regional Infrastructure Fund. Where are their voices now? Where are the cries of outrage now? What do we hear from members opposite, as their federal colleagues withdraw money from the regions? Nothing, nothing whatsoever. You could hear a pin drop. It is a disgrace and they should be ashamed of themselves.

It was a fund designed by Labor to help regional infrastructure projects. What a disgrace. It is obvious that only the Labor Party is serious about building our regions, about working together to create jobs and opportunities and to help our regions flourish. There is only one party that is prepared to do that in a genuine way, and it is the Labor Party. The successful funding allocation of $200,000 will be used to construct 12 new pens—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: What is the Hon. John Dawkins going to say to his federal colleagues about the new Coalition government withdrawing funds from our South Australian regions? What is the Hon. John Dawkins going to say about that? Is he going to write a letter demanding that these funds be reinstated to South Australian regions? Are we going to see—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: What are we going to hear from the Hon. John Dawkins in relation to protesting against his own party, in the federal jurisdiction, ripping out funds from our regions? Nothing, that is what we hear. What do we hear? Silence. You could hear a pin drop.

The successful funding allocation of $200,000 will be used to construct 12 new pens as well as handling facilities and sedimentation basins, along with a manure stockpile and composting area, and a holding pond for effluent. By offering support we have ensured that Mayura Station will be able to increase its production capacity, as well as helping it meet growing export demand. This helps cement its international market and goes hand in hand with the excellent work many other primary producers are undertaking to increase awareness of South Australia's premium produce from our pristine environment.

I am advised that the project is likely to result in three additional FTE positions initially, with an additional five FTEs created in 2014-15. So as I said, we support regions, we support jobs, we support growth, we support opportunity.