SA Drought Hub

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries on the topic of drought hubs.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: According to the SA Drought Hub website the SA Drought Hub, led by the University of Adelaide in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, comprises the hub headquarters at Roseworthy and five regional nodes, at Minnipa on Eyre Peninsula, Port Augusta in the Far North, Orroroo in the Upper North, Loxton in the Riverland and Struan in the South-East. The location of the nodes ensures statewide coverage of all pastoral low, medium and high rainfall agricultural production zones. According to their website, SA Drought Hub states that:

…Nodes are a shopfront where farmers and community members can connect with drought resilience expertise…

Our Node Coordinators live in the communities, enabling them to have a greater understanding of the evolving needs of local partners and primary producers.

My question to the minister is: can the minister confirm that in the middle of one of the worst droughts of this generation the new current drought hub node coordinator for the Loxton Riverland drought hub is currently residing in Port Lincoln?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:27): I thank the honourable member for her question. I am happy to take that on notice and bring back a response.