Aquaculture and Tourism

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (15:18): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about recent regulatory amendments to aquaculture legislation to streamline the assessment and approval process for aquaculture-related agri-tourism developments?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:18): I thank the honourable member for her question about these South Australian regulations. On 9 December 2023, amendments were made to the Aquaculture Act 2001 through the Aquaculture (Tourism Development) Amendment Act 2021. The amendments extend the jurisdiction of the Aquaculture Act to include the approval and administration of aquaculture-related agri-tourism developments located within aquaculture zones in the waters of the state.

Proponents of tourism developments located within aquaculture zones, which do not directly involve the farming of aquatic organisms but meet prescribed criteria of the Aquaculture Act, including providing a benefit to or promoting aquaculture, will be able to apply directly to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions for the assessment and determination of their application by the minister responsible for the Aquaculture Act.

The amendments streamline the assessment and approval process for proponents of aquaculture-related tourism developments within aquaculture zones by removing the requirement for development consent under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 and altering the Seabed Authority requirements and replacing it with a single government agency assessment and approval process under the Aquaculture Act. This will encourage innovation, investment and the expansion of not only this emerging agri-tourism industry but also provide jobs potentially in regional areas of the state.

PIRSA undertook targeted consultation on the aquaculture regulations amendments through an intergovernment agency working group consisting of representatives from the Department for Environment and Water, the Environment Protection Authority, the South Australian Tourism Commission, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport and the Department for Trade and Investment, as well as representatives from aquaculture sectors and the two current oyster aquaculture tourism development operators. These stakeholders were supportive of the proposed amendments.

The opportunities these initiatives bring are exciting and I look forward to the growth of this emerging agri-tourism industry and the flow-on benefits to our aquaculture industry in regional communities where so much of our aquaculture industry is based.