State Regional Visitor Strategy

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (15:20): Supplementary, referring to the minister's original answer and his comments on regional involvement: what part of the tourism budget has been set aside to implement the plans in the Regional Visitor Strategy?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:20): We have already started to implement some of the items that were identified in the Regional Visitor Strategy. As members would know, I went to two metropolitan and 17 regional visits across South Australia. Some 5,500—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Members opposite laugh. It is actually the job to get out and have a look and meet with these people, look at operators, understand operators. The member opposite—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: —the member opposite, the Hon. Mr Hunter, when he was minister–

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I can't hear, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter, I have given you a reasonable amount of latitude because the minister did provoke you. Minister, continue with your answer. If you are going to give jibes to the other side, expect a response. Please finish your answer.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thank you for your advice, Mr President. A classic example of one of the things I learnt on this visit to the region and meet the ministers was in Ceduna—

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Point of order: the question was about the funds dedicated for implementing the Regional Visitor Strategy—funds.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Not what cheese platter he had when.

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, that was a good point of order from the Hon. Ms Scriven. You diminish it by those comments. Try to remain on point to the supplementary, minister. I give you latitude but do not abuse the friendship.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Okay, well, I will come back to the question then. The Regional Visitor Strategy was obviously released after the election. I have gone out and spoken to people. We have a range of data and a range of projects and things that regional communities would like to see implemented, and we will be working through them as a government and I expect that in future budgets you will see us funding some of the things that regional South Australia would like.