Country Cabinet

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:26): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about her activities during last week's country cabinet on Yorke Peninsula?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:26): I thank the honourable member for his question and I know that he shares the enthusiasm that all on this side of the chamber share for getting out into the regional areas and how important country cabinet is. The cabinet enjoyed an action-packed few days on the Yorke Peninsula and, from the outset, I want to note the incredible turnout at the community forum and also the barbecue that was held in Wallaroo where, like the last country cabinet that we had in Port Pirie, it was standing room only, with some tough but very considered questions asked of ministers.

What this shows is that regional communities really do appreciate the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns in this format. Every time we hold a country cabinet, I am amazed afresh at the fact that the former Liberal government refused to do these. They refused to be available to regional members in this sort of forum and they refused to take the wonderful opportunities to get out there as a cabinet with the heads of their departments to actually listen to what country people wanted, to listen to their issues and to resolve many of them. Unfortunately, the former Liberal state government had no desire to actually interact on a real level with members of the public.

For myself, it was great to start my country cabinet visit at the South Australian Livestock Exchange in Dublin, followed by a visit to Natasha Westbrook and Belmont Beef and Lamb Farm at Clinton Centre. I was fortunate to head over to Paskeville and meet at the Yorke Peninsula Field Days site, where I was due to meet with CEO Peter Anderson, treasurer Rosalie Pearce and the team, who are getting ready for a huge 2023 set of field days from 26-28 September, which sadly for all of us in this chamber is a sitting week, so unfortunately we can't go. Interestingly, the Yorke Peninsula Field Days are acknowledged as the oldest field days event in Australia, established in 1894, I am advised. I am sure that 2023 will be another hugely successful event.

Another highlight, amongst many over those few days, was the announcement that the state government is expanding the Mobile Network Extension Devices Pilot Program to residents in councils that include Yorke Peninsula, Copper Coast and Barunga West. I enjoyed the opportunity to visit the Telstra store in Kadina with Michael Patterson, Telstra’s Regional General Manager for South Australia, and also the member for Narungga, Fraser Ellis MP, to share this exciting announcement. The member for Narungga had advocated for this previously and I was very pleased to be a part of the announcement that we were able to meet that advocacy.

It was a pleasure to visit Viterra's facility in Wallaroo with the Premier and the Minister for Trade and Investment in the other place, to talk about the record harvest worth almost $4.5 billion to our state’s economy and an industry of huge importance to our state and, of course, to the Yorke Peninsula, renowned as it is as one of the richest wheat and barley regions in the world.

I was incredibly proud to be part of an announcement alongside the Premier, Treasurer, Minister Champion and two of our state's dedicated regional paramedics for the very important establishment of the Office for Regional Housing. This is a fantastic initiative and a huge step towards addressing the critical problem of lack of housing in regional areas, which then has a flow-on effect throughout those regional communities and, of course, impacts on the ability to attract workers to regional locations. Workforce being one of the key issues raised with me as a minister, I am very pleased that this is one step towards addressing that.

The Office for Regional Housing will facilitate the development of key worker rental housing in regional South Australia, and, working alongside local government, employers and key stakeholders, support planning and implementation of housing projects that will have positive impacts on relieving the pressure on regional housing. The initial pilot program for the Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme will deliver approximately 30 new homes for police, teachers and healthcare workers in regions that include Mount Gambier, Port Augusta, the Riverland, Copper Coast and Ceduna.

Not only will this support the government services in regions that are critical to communities, but it will also ease the pressure on the private rental market. It is a program that can be scaled up quickly and I am sure will be of great benefit to many regional councils, businesses and, ultimately, regional people who need the security of a roof over their heads.

During country cabinet, I also visited Sunny Hill Distillery in Arthurton with Minister Brock. It's an incredible set-up that operators Sam and Olivia Colliver have created, with the lush green lawn out the front of the main building contrasting with the sprawling fields where the wheat and barley grow and ingredients for their vodka, gin, whisky, rum and liqueurs are sourced. It was also a great opportunity to catch up with Grain Producers SA CEO, Brad Perry, who discussed grain roads and their importance to the industry in moving their produce efficiently and safely.

Finally, I held a recreational fishing forum in Wallaroo with the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing in the other place, where we took questions from local fishos and met with Fishcare Volunteers as well as the Executive Officer of RecFish SA, Asher Dezsery. It was certainly a very well spent few days in a great region of our state, something that we on our side will continue to do frequently because we value the opportunities that are available to us when we are at country cabinet.