PIRSA and RSPCA Contractual Funding Deeds

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:51): Supplementary: is the minister confident that training and independent expertise is available within her department or elsewhere should the RSPCA contract not be renewed, and will her department be able to fulfill their statutory obligations if so?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:51): Certainly in terms of livestock welfare issues the RSPCA has often, as I understand it, drawn on the expertise of PIRSA to investigate complaints or concerns and so therefore I am confident that the expertise exists within PIRSA. The minister in the other place has been leading the processes in regard to the RSPCA arrangements, and we have had a number of discussions, of course, both at an officer level and in other fora in regard to that. I am hopeful that there will be a very positive outcome.