Question Time

Drought

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My questions are to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on the topic of drought. How many face-to-face round tables has the minister's department held on the topic of drought, and how many of those roundtable discussions has the minister herself personally attended?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for her question. My understanding is that I think so far there has been one departmental, which was held in Naracoorte a couple of weeks ago—actually September, I think it was—and then further ones are being scheduled. The next one is for the Mid North—off the top of my head, I don't have the date for that—but then they will be elsewhere around the state.

I think it's really important, when we are talking about drought, to make sure that there is opportunity for all the peak bodies to ensure that they are able to bring the concerns of individual farmers to PIRSA as well as to me as the minister. I obviously meet one-to-one as well, as well as with the peak industry bodies. Indeed, only a few weeks ago in Mount Gambier, the Premier and I met with a number of local farmers, and then I had some subsequent meetings as well with both stakeholders and some individual farmers as well. That is the approach that I take. I have met with people from around the state.

Of course, Labor's commitment to country cabinet also gives additional opportunities for primary producers to meet, to raise issues and to be heard. All of that is incredibly important in terms of feeding information into government decision-making, and I will continue to do so.