Question Time

SA Drought Hub

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries on the topic of drought support.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: The Stock Journal is reporting that the South Australian drought hubs that are funded out of the Future Drought Fund, which is a collaboration of state and federal funding, are undergoing a 'structural shake-up' and consequently the government is retiring all of its regional node coordinator positions by 30 June. It is the opposition's understanding that some of these closures started prior to April. The change follows recommendations from an independent review. Numerous stakeholders have voiced their concern that the move could reduce local engagement; however, the SA Drought Hub director, Stephen Lee, said that it was 'based on clear feedback and recommendations that came through the independent external review'. My questions to the minister are:

1. Who was consulted and provided feedback through that independent external review?

2. Why is the government getting rid of all of their SA Drought Hub node coordinators who are tasked with on-the-ground drought activities, particularly in vulnerable drought-stricken communities such as Orroroo and Minnipa?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for her question. The South Australian Drought Hub, according to my advice, is one of eight established across the nation through the Australian government's Future Drought Fund. Led by the University of Adelaide in partnership with the state government's Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) the drought hub comprises the hub's headquarters at Roseworthy and five regional nodes. They are at Minnipa on Eyre Peninsula, Port Augusta, Orroroo, Loxton and Struan in the South-East.

The location of these nodes ensures that we have pretty close to statewide coverage of pastoral, low, medium and high rainfall agricultural production zones and the drought hub focuses on the adoption of a number of tools to assist farmers become more drought and climate resilient, as well as to deal with a lot of the pressures they are currently under given the historically low levels of rainfall that our state has been experiencing. Of course, we have spoken on many occasions about the difficulties the drought is causing.

As part of the $73 million drought support package that the Malinauskas state government has committed to for supporting drought-affected communities, $17.4 million of that is committed to the Future Drought Fund programs. PIRSA will continue to work with those partners that I mentioned before, the commonwealth government and the University of Adelaide. As to the people working in the drought hub, I have not been made aware of any forecast changes to staffing levels or locations but certainly I am happy to take that aspect on notice, make some further inquiries and bring back a response to the chamber.