Limestone Coast Emerging Leaders Program

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister inform the chamber about the recent RDA Limestone Coast Emerging Leaders Program graduation?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:06): I thank the honourable member for his question.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Attorney, and the Hon. Ms Girolamo!

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Attorney, stop!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I was incredibly pleased to be able to attend the RDA Limestone Coast Emerging Leaders Program graduation at Naracoorte Town Hall last Wednesday evening. It was a real celebration of Limestone Coast locals, who started the year mostly as strangers to each other but with a common interest in developing their leadership skills. They ended the year as friends and colleagues, with the ability to fill much-needed local leadership positions, whether they be in schools, sporting clubs, businesses, charities and so on, right across the region.

One of the best things about these events was the real sense of excitement there was in the room and the sense of well-deserved accomplishment, and that was certainly the case last Wednesday, with 23 program participants graduating. They had varying levels of leadership experience prior to entering the program, and they also covered a wide cross-section of the Limestone Coast community and included an accountant, a local government employee, a school principal, a TAFE educator, primary producers and a range of other professions and occupations. They were all coming together to develop local leadership.

In hearing from the program facilitators, Matt Cesaro and Tanya Lehmann, we got a sense of the kinds of things the graduates can now bring to roles within their communities. Topics covered included emotional intelligence, self-awareness and skills in working and leading others, just to name a few. On hearing from three of the graduates as they addressed the audience and recounted their experiences of the program, we could see some of those skills come to the fore already.

I was particularly impressed by young Nicola Bowditch, who works in aged care. Nicola was articulate in describing the challenges she has faced throughout her life, and why taking on a program such as this one was so important to her. She described herself as previously lacking confidence, but after having undertaken the program she gave a really brave, great speech. For a lot of people that is extremely difficult to do. I think sometimes those of us here in this chamber giving speeches so often forget how hard that can be, so real congratulations to her. She now has the skills, she said, to find her path as she contemplates what comes next.

I congratulate all the graduates: Alison Boomsma, Nicola Bowditch, Steve Carli-Seebohm, Shaun Dunford, Ally Finnis, Simon Gallasch, Renee Henke, Evie Higgins, Wayne Lawson, Jane Lucas, Erin McWaters, Rebekah Millowick, Ali Mort, Kyle Thomas, Kirsty Tweed, Chris Tzioutziouklaris, Thomas Vanderhorst, Jaime Virgin, Lisa Bawden, Aidan Curtis, Will Goodes, Roslyn Snaauw and Jake Turner. Well done on all of your achievements so far, and I look forward to what comes next for all of you. Indeed, I hope to work with many of you into the future in further developing the Limestone Coast region.

I also want to thank the CEO of RDALC, David Wheaton; project coordinator of RDALC, Jess Carolane—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —program facilitators, Matt Cesaro and Tanya Lehman; and also the program sponsors: the District Council of Grant, City of Mount Gambier, Tatiara District Council, the Department for Education, the Lucindale Community Economic Development Board, OneFortyOne and Buckley Innovative Farming.

PIRSA was also part of the funding, with my department providing $1 million over two years for this very important program. Without all of those contributions, programs like this are very difficult to get off the ground, so it's fantastic to see the value of these programs being widely recognised across government agencies, local government, local businesses and local communities. Well done to you all.