Thriving Regions Fund

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding the Thriving Regions Fund Enabling Infrastructure Program. Will the minister please inform the chamber about the purpose of her recent regional visit to Keith?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:47): I thank the honourable member for his question. Hopefully, everyone here is aware that Keith is a great town, one that of course I have had the pleasure of visiting many times before. It's in a well-established agricultural area that has proven to be a thriving community and district with effects that flow on throughout the entire Tatiara council area, often known as the gateway to the Limestone Coast.

The Malinauskas Labor government is committed to developing our state's regions and strongly supports the Thriving Regions Fund to enhance and support our resilient regional communities. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Keith once again, but on this occasion to announce funding to the Tatiara District Council of $800,000 towards its Keith Industrial Estate Expansion project to help attract and grow businesses in the region.

I was joined by the Mayor of the Tatiara District Council, Liz Goossens, and councillors, and the hardworking Nick McBride MP, member for MacKillop, in Keith where it was evident that they were thrilled the state government is partnering with them to develop new industrial land in Keith. Ten serviced allotments will be developed within the Keith Industrial Estate, ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 square metres, with the funding supporting the construction of essential infrastructure, including stormwater drainage, road pavement, kerbing, sewerage and electrical and internet connections.

The estimated total project cost is $3.3 million, with the investment also creating 46 local jobs and an estimated growth in GDP of $8.2 million. These economic impacts will be further amplified by the ongoing operation of businesses moving into the estate and employment of staff in the region.

I was advised that industrial land in Keith is at a premium. There is simply nowhere else for businesses to go. Since 2018, there has been no land available for businesses to move into the area. These serviced allotments will provide the space and essential services to attract businesses to set up in the expanded industrial estate. The allotments are infrastructure that doesn't just benefit an individual business but has a widespread benefit overall and could lead to population growth within the area.

The location of the allotments is prime, as it is midway along the Melbourne to Adelaide freight route and at the junction of the road to Mount Gambier, which in turn creates further potential to bring other industries to the town. It is expected the project will go to tender within the next few months, with construction planned for late 2024. I certainly look forward to seeing this estate grow, and will be sure to visit again once it has been completed.

While we are on the topic of Keith, on this particular day we got there about 20 minutes earlier than we were needed and I had the great pleasure of visiting Beyond Words Bookshop and talking with Sally there. It is a wonderful, relatively new bookshop with new and used books, some wonderful comfy chairs, and they have some lovely local community events there, so I want to congratulate Sally on such a great local business in Keith as well.