Mount Gambier and District Saleyards

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (15:28): 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. B.R. HOOD: The District Council of Grant has again been rejected—for the third time now—in their bid for federal funding of $7.4 million to transform the Mount Gambier saleyards. The council was advised last Wednesday that their major project had once again failed to receive the much-needed funding boost from the Albanese federal government. Meanwhile, the member for Barker announced last year that the future Coalition government would commit $7.5 million to a once-in-a-generation infrastructure upgrade. My questions to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development are:

1. When was the minister made aware that the council application was not successful?

2. What practical steps did the minister take to advocate for this project's most recent application?

3. Has the minister spoken with federal Minister King regarding the failure to fund the saleyards?

4. Has the minister met with the District Council of Grant?

5. Will the Malinauskas government recommit to their $2.7 million funding for the project?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:29): I thank the honourable member for his question. The District Council of Grant applied for funding through round 2 of the commonwealth government's Growing Regions Program for its saleyards transformation project. I was pleased that I co-signed a letter to the council with the Premier in August last year reconfirming the state government has quarantined $2.7 million in funds, subject to accessing federal government funding for the project.

It is disappointing that the council's bid for funding for this important project has not been successful under round 2 of the program. I would like to acknowledge the many hours of work that have been undertaken over at least the last four years, if not more, by the council, the Mount Gambier and District Saleyards committee, council staff and stakeholders in seeking to secure federal funding. I understand that in the coming weeks the District Council of Grant and the saleyards committee will consider the next steps for the project. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss those into the future.

In terms of some of the specific questions that were asked, I spoke with the Mayor of the District Council of Grant on the day that they received the notification that they had not been successful. I certainly have spoken with Minister King previously about this matter, and what her particular comments were, were that in contrast to the former federal Liberal government's pork-barrelling, she was very much at arm's length from the decisions. She made a very transparent process, she established a transparent process, proper processes that will be, I am advised, absolutely transparent in terms of what that process is. I think that is a relevant point to note.

The project is one that our government committed to prior to the last election and indeed, if I recall correctly, prior to the then-Liberal government making that commitment. It is something that we think is certainly important. Of course, it is also worth noting that when the former federal Liberal government was in place, they did not provide the funding.