Ag Town of the Year

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:18): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister update the chamber about the recent Ag Town of the Year celebrations in Mypolonga and the start of the 2023 Ag Town of the Year process?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for his question and his ongoing interest in the Ag Town of the Year. It was a fantastic day in Mypolonga, I think it was two Sundays ago, where I was able to celebrate their 2022 Ag Town of the Year award.

Prior to the official function kicking off, it was a privilege to tour Mypo, as well as neighbouring town, Wall Flat, with the Mayor of Murray Bridge, Wayne Thorley, and the Mayor of Mid Murray, Simone Bailey, and also the member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick, and a couple of wonderful local tour guides, Corey Jones from SA Buffalo Company and Jodie Hagger, whose family run an orchard. She is one of the many locals involved in the local football and netball clubs.

A key part of the tour involved the Ag Town of the Year sign on Mypolonga Road on the approach to Mypo. It is very hard to miss, which is a good thing, and it is an appropriate recognition of the town's achievements. Of course, despite celebrating the achievement over the past week or two, it was late last year that Mypolonga won the title and it has certainly been a tough period for the town since, with floods impacting many people, farms and businesses across the area, but the community's resilience has yet again shone through.

The stories that were told on the brief tour of the town with locals Corey and Jodie only reinforced how much the community has helped each other and helped their businesses to get through this difficult time. The day of celebration itself saw a fantastic turnout and the stand-out feeling amongst locals in the Mypolonga Combined Sports Club rooms appeared to be one of great pride.

It is the kind of pride that is evident in so much of what happens in Mypolonga—small but mighty—from the way locals pitch in for sporting clubs, the school and associations, to the way businesses have diversified and future-proofed themselves. Though small, it really is a can-do community within a broader region in the Murraylands that is growing in stature and positivity.

While Mypo continues to enjoy its well-deserved victory, attention now starts to turn to who will claim the crown in 2023. Nominations are now open and will close on 5 June. Public voting will commence on 12 June until 26 June, with the top 10 towns announced in July, and then finally a winner will be declared in November.

I encourage people to nominate their own town or, indeed, their favourite town and take this fantastic opportunity to highlight our regions and their contributions to agriculture and, in turn, the state. I truly do look forward to celebrating more great South Australian communities through the Ag Town of the Year process soon.