Mount Gambier Saleyards

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): Thank you, Mr President. I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding the Mount Gambier saleyards.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: The Mount Gambier Districts Livestock Exchange 2030 Transformation Project was listed as a priority in the District Council of Grant saleyards master plan 2018-2028 and has been shovel-ready, thanks to significant work undertaken over four years. Prior to the last election, both the opposition and the South Australian government committed $2.7 million, with council increasing its financial contribution to $4.3 million and the remainder to come from a successful federal government funding application to the project.

This major project has now failed to gain federal Labor government support through the Growing Regions Program round 1. It is our understanding that only $206 million of the $300 million fund has in fact been allocated by the Labor federal minister, Catherine King. The project is described by the saleyards strategy committee's presiding member as critical for future agricultural growth and development in the region. My questions to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development are:

1. Does the minister concede she has again failed to stand up for primary producers in the South-East, and is this further proof that her government has absolutely no interest in ensuring the viability of the Mount Gambier saleyards into the future?

2. Can the minister confirm that their $2.7 million commitment will remain on the table for this project in the upcoming state budget?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:36): I thank the honourable member for her question. For those who are not aware, the Mount Gambier and District Saleyards are located about 10 kilometres east of Mount Gambier on the Princes Highway and are owned and operated by the District Council of Grant.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: They are the largest cattle exchange facility in the Limestone Coast region. We hear already heckling from those opposite, including the Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Interjections are out of order.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —but given that so few of their members actually have sincere interest in places like the Grant district council saleyards, I thought it important to give them a little bit of background.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I would like to be able to hear the answer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Thank you, and I note the comment that the opposition needs Google Maps to find it.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The District Council of Grant made an application to the previous commonwealth government's Building Better Regions Fund for its district saleyards transformation project. Under the previous federal Liberal government, it didn't get anywhere. The Albanese government initiated the Growing Regions Program, following the discontinuation of the Building Better Regions Fund.

I am aware, obviously, that the District Council of Grant's bid for funding for its saleyards transformation project through the commonwealth fund has been unsuccessful. The state government and myself personally are very disappointed that the project has not received funding from the commonwealth government.

Our state government's commitment of $2.7 million towards this project demonstrated our continued support for the saleyards' transformation. We committed the $2.7 million towards the project while we were in opposition and after that the then Marshall Liberal government met our commitment. Indeed, it was sometime after the Labor opposition had committed to it.

The $2.7 million was quarantined in last year's state budget while the project was considered for the other grant sources. I understand that the District Council of Grant has indicated that it will now re-evaluate the project. I look forward to continuing to work with them as they continue this process.