Question Time

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister for whatever he is, sustainability, environment and—

The PRESIDENT: Sustainability, environment and conservation.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: All of that; thank you—a brief explanation about the agriculture and NRM action plan, Working Together.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: At the start of September this year the government announced Agriculture and NRM: Working Together, billing it as a 'landmark agreement' that would 'strengthen the bond between South Australia's agriculture sector and the natural resources management system'. In actual fact, it is a blatant admission by the government that the NRM has lost its way and is out of touch with local communities and regions. The action plan states that each region will review their relationship with farmer stakeholders at a regional level and 'take at least one concrete action to improve relationships'. My question is: what is the definition of a 'concrete action'? The policy also states that this could take the form of a 90-day change policy. What does this 90-day policy entail and is it ever to be implemented?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:25): I thank the honourable member for partially getting my ministerial portfolio correct, Mr President, and being corrected by you, as we all are from time to time. I do reject the premise of his question, or certainly the explanation he offered to the council. The NRM is a fantastic policy initiative of this government and certainly of a previous minister, John Hill, in that it actually brings together the community impacted by government decisions. It brings together a number of boards that used to work and operate on their own and actually pushes the responsibility and the ownership back out to local communities.

For too long in governments, particularly under the previous Liberal government, decisions were made in Adelaide without due recourse to local communities in the regions and rural South Australia. It took a Labor government to understand that the best decisions are made by communities and government working together, giving responsibilities back to local communities and listening to local communities.

The NRM board system has been borne and brought to fruition by this government and is working exceptionally well right across the state. Local communities have regular input into the decision-making process, which is done, of course, through the legislative process. Consultations are exhaustive and local communities have many avenues of involvement with NRM and their board decisions.

I have to say, the quality of candidates for NRM boards goes up year on year. We have more applicants usually than there are positions available, and we are getting outstanding candidates standing for board and chair positions. I can only say I think that indicates very strongly what local communities think about the NRM boards. They are doing a fantastic job and people want to be part of that process.

In terms of the 90-day change policies, led by the Premier, these are a suite of changes that the Premier institutes every three months to address intractable problems with interagency issues. He has identified with agencies and impacted communities issues that need to be addressed, breaking down the barriers across agencies to come to realistic, pragmatic possible solutions and outcomes. I have to say, one of them is a bill that we are dealing with tomorrow, the motor vehicle drivers licence amendment bill for the APY lands. This is a problem that has been going on for many years, neglected by the Liberal government when they were in power, never able to do anything about it. It took Jay Weatherill's Labor government and the 90-day plan, the 90-day change policy, to drive this change through the chamber, and I hope honourable members in this place will see the sense of this wonderful policy initiative and support it tomorrow.