Cross Border Commissioner

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (15:08): My questions are to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding the Cross Border Commissioner.

1. Can the minister outline to the chamber the recruitment process for the Cross Border Commissioner?

2. Will the Cross Border Commissioner—the new Cross Border Commissioner, that is—be based in Mount Gambier?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for his question. The recruitment process I envisage will follow pretty much the same as it did for the original recruitment. In terms of the way the recruitment company will operate, if I recall correctly the position was advertised not only locally in regional areas—particularly, obviously, in cross-border areas—but across the state in metropolitan media and, I think, nationally. I would expect that that recruitment process will continue, as these recruitment processes usually do.

The location of the Cross Border Commissioner is that, as is required in the legislation, again if I recall correctly, they must reside in a cross-border area. I have a high expectation that that would be Mount Gambier given that we have an established office there; however, it would not be impossible for it to be at another cross-border area. As I have mentioned, it is part of the requirements that applicants do reside in a cross-border community, in addition to having good knowledge and understanding of the sorts of issues that affect people who live in cross-border communities, as well as other criteria, such as having an understanding of government processes, industry and so on.