Regional Growth Fund

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:37): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development about the Regional Growth Fund.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: The Regional Growth Fund includes $10 million for the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development to commit to strategic regional growth projects, which is open year round for applications, and a $10 million Opening our Great Outdoors pool over two years, 2021-2022 to 2022-23. My questions to the minister are:

1. Has the minister received any strategic regional growth project applications since her appointment and, if so, how many?

2. Will the Malinauskas Labor government continue the Marshall Liberal government's commitment to support economic-generating regional tourism initiatives through the continuation of the Opening our Great Outdoors funding pool for 2022-23 and maintain the current level of funding allocated to this program?

3. Will the Malinauskas Labor government commit to the continuation of the Regional Growth Fund at the current funding levels beyond the current financial year?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for her question. The Malinauskas Labor government will continue to invest in regional areas through the Regional Growth Fund, including a focus on projects that act as enablers to regional industries. We want to see regional industries and the Regional Growth Fund assisting in growing jobs and in strengthening those regional communities. The Malinauskas Labor government will maintain the $15 million per annum for regional development funding. Members might recall—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister will continue to answer the question.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: And if I had been allowed to continue, I would have said: the Malinauskas Labor government will maintain the $15 million per annum for regional development funding, as outlined in our pre-election commitments. Applications to the Regional Growth Fund will be considered in light of the change of government and the budget context. Now, of course, the government looks forward to building on its own strong track record in investing in regional communities. From 2014 to 2018—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —the regional development fund grants program—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I can't hear the minister. I want to hear the minister. Please, continue.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: From 2014 to 2018, the regional development fund, as it was called then, had a grants program that drove economic growth and productivity by investing in regional infrastructure, creating jobs and new opportunities for regional South Australia. As a result of the then Labor Premier's agreement with the regional development minister, the Hon. Geoff Brock MP, the funding available through the RDF grants program increased from $1.6 million per annum to $15 million per annum.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The broad objectives of the regional development fund grants program were to support regional economic development by creating new jobs and improving career opportunities; provide better infrastructure facilities and services; strengthen the economic, social and environmental base of communities; support the development and delivery of projects; and leverage funding and investment.

We saw a number of announcements just prior to the election—and when I say just prior, I mean very close to just prior, as in the week or a couple of weeks beforehand—on a number of different programs. It is interesting to note that a number of those have had, it would seem, very little background information provided and some of them seem to be more akin simply to election announcements rather than a well thought through policy that would really look at how things would enable regional industries to grow in their jobs and strengthen those regional communities.

I have had feedback in regard to the way that the former Liberal government did treat a number of different grant programs. In terms of the Regional Growth Fund going forward: as I mentioned, we will maintain our election commitments.