Strathalbyn Abattoir

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to provide a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development a question regarding the Strathalbyn abattoir.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: In August last year, the member for Hammond and I wrote to the minister seeking answers as to why the Strathalbyn abattoir restoration project had been delayed. We received a letter from yourself in October, saying that you had 'recently reviewed these conditions and have approved an alternative model to allow the project to progress in a timely manner'.

Four months on, despite the Treasurer signing a funding deed, the grant is yet to be paid. The co-op believes it has satisfied all the conditions of this deed. My question to the minister is: why hasn't the grant to the Fleurieu Community Co-op been paid and what does she say to the board, who have been unable to open up the doors of the abattoir because of her government's inaction?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for her question. The issue of the Strathalbyn abattoir came to my attention last year, prior to the correspondence to which the honourable member refers, because the former government—the former Liberal government—had announced funding for the project. Indeed, they apparently had approved it and they had established a number of conditions which were proving to be problematic for the abattoir.

My department has been working with the Strathalbyn abattoir project team. I was briefed on this within the last week or fortnight—I can't remember exactly which—and at that time I saw correspondence from the abattoir which indicated that they were yet to provide some information. In fact, they referred to the fact that they had staff who were on leave and would be back shortly. That was from the proponent of the project, which indicated that they had not been able to provide all of the information that had been requested at that time.