Regional Boat Ramps

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development about regional boat ramps.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: On 15 February 2024, Maree Wauchope, CEO of Barunga West Council, spoke on ABC radio about distribution of funding for regional boat ramp facilities. The CEO is quoted as saying:

The Barunga West Council wants the State Government to take immediate action and allocate some funds to regional councils so we can carry out maintenance improvements to our boat ramps that are under pressure, extremely popular and are really loved assets in South Australia.

In addition, the CEO said:

When people actually register their boats they pay registration fees, that goes into a fund that the State Government control and manage. We want to see those levies that our community members pay, or our tourists pay to use our boating assets to be re-allocated to our regions so we can expand, upgrade and maintain the boat facilities that they actually use.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister outline what direct advocacy she has done as the Minister for Regional Development to help regional councils with maintaining their boat ramp facilities, as the lack of funding has been voiced as a major problem for regional communities and those problems will impact the development of regional economies?

2. Will the minister support the call by the Local Government Association and stand up for regional communities to convince the Malinauskas Labor government to commit to state funding for local councils to assist with the maintenance and upgrade of boat ramp facilities in regional areas?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:48): I thank the honourable member for her question. Certainly, the issue around boat ramps and indeed other infrastructure in regional areas has been raised on a number of occasions. We talk often about these matters at country cabinets, which we have had in a number of places around the state so far in this term of government, remembering of course this was something that those opposite did not support and do not think is important.

They cancelled country cabinet. They did not think it was important despite the fact country cabinets enable a wide range of people to voice their issues and concerns and sometimes even voice their pleasure with certain things and investments that government has made. So it is something that has been raised, and I can certainly refer the question to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and bring back a further response.