Regional Showcase

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:22): This is going really well. My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about the 2022 Regional Showcase and the winner of the regional resilience award?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:22): I thank the honourable member for his question and I am so glad that he is among those many on this side who are actually interested in the regions and think it's important—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —for ministers to get out to the regions. The regional resilience award—

The Hon. J.E. Hanson: I love the bakery. I particularly like the bakery.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.E. Hanson: That's not even an interjection: it's a statement of fact.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The regional resilience award acknowledges that regional communities are the backbone of our state. It's a recognition of the community's proven ability to innovate, collaborate and adapt, while also highlighting the foresight, patience and persistence that is often required to bring great projects to life.

At the recent Regional Showcase held in Mount Barker, I was pleased to announce that the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre was the winner of the regional resilience award for 2022. Established in response to the devastating Kangaroo Island bushfires in 2019-20, the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre entered partnerships with the Nature Conservation Society of South Australia and Bio R in a bid to safeguard native plants from extinction on the island.

Together, they have created the Threatened Flora Seed Production Garden, which is a 5,000 square metre enclosed animal-proof space located at Cygnet Park Sanctuary, which is about five kilometres south-west of Kingscote. The garden will grow multiple populations of Kangaroo Island's at-risk species and collect their seed for banking and biodiversity recovery projects.

To capture the diversity of flora on the island, the project has sought to mirror the environment in which they are found, meaning varying soil types brought in from local quarries and simulating swamps, creek beds and sandbanks. The garden will also play an important role in teaching schoolchildren, tourists and the broader community about the importance of conservation of Kangaroo Island's plant and wildlife.

The Regional Showcase program is South Australia's premier showcase of regional individuals, businesses and organisations, and has been delivered by Solstice Media since 2019. Its objective is to highlight regional South Australia by telling the many stories of success that all too frequently occur in our regions but are often not enough celebrated, nor acknowledged.

The stories are published to a local, national and indeed international audience, in turn giving greater exposure to not only our regions but also to the regional journalists who are used to tell these stories. In fact, 107 stories about South Australia's regions were published through this program this year, and all tell a wonderful story in support of the fact that incredible things happen in our regions, driving the people and communities who make our regions what they are.

I also congratulate the other winners from what was a really good night. The Meaningful Connections award was won by My Bundaleer and presented by Seniors Card. The Business Innovation award was won by Kiminnes Ol' School Shearing and presented by Business SA. The People's Choice award was 5431 Collective from Orroroo, and that was where the public select from among the top 20 articles. The Lifelong Learning award was won by Bike SA and presented by the University of South Australia. The Community Empowerment award was won by Rural Aid and presented by Regional Development South Australia.

I look forward to the work that will be done throughout our regions and look forward also to the power of good local journalism and getting together again in the future to celebrate their success.