Kangaroo Island

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:22): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment regarding Kangaroo Island tourism.

Leave granted.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: According to the SATC, the visitor spend on Kangaroo Island is $123 million, with the tourism sector providing around 700 jobs. A key component to boosting the sector is access to the island. In an ABC radio interview on 11 October 2018, the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government claimed he was unaware if his department pays for dredging the Cape Jervis sandbar. This is despite the managing director of KI Connect saying he has written evidence stating the department refuses to do so. My question is: has the Minister for Tourism spoken to KI Connect or any other regional tourism operators to assist in resolving this issue? Given the government already funds dredging works elsewhere, is the minister willing to commit funds to support dredging at Cape Jervis?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:23): I have had discussions with KI Connect. I have met with them on Kangaroo Island and visited their ferry at American River. Unfortunately, I think it did have a small accident after I was there and it wasn't able to work for a little while. I have met with them.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: It wasn't as a result of me being on the ferry and it being overloaded. It was some other accident, I think, that they had where they accidentally hit something that was submerged with the propeller. That is my recollection.

In relation to the honourable member's questions about dredging, they really are matters for the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government. I will take them on notice and talk to him about the budget. Tourism does not have a dredge or a budget for dredging; that is what minister Knoll's department does. I don't think they actually own a dredge, but they have a budget for it. That work needs to be done, if it's required to be done, by his department. So I will take that question on notice and refer it to him to bring back a reply.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Pangallo, do you have a supplementary question?

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Yes, it sort of segues into a question I had already prepared about Kangaroo Island.

The PRESIDENT: It is not a supplementary.