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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-03 Daily Xml
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WIRRINA MARINA

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (16:24): I draw the attention of the house and that of the government to a deteriorating situation at the Wirrina marina on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The Wirrina resort, as I understand it, is changing hands. However, the Wirrina marina is in rather a diabolical situation. My view is that the government needs to step in to take decisive action to protect lives in and around St Vincent Gulf, and more particularly in the waters around the Wirrina marina by having the Wirrina marina operate in a proper and professional manner. The failure of the operator of the Wirrina marina to pay staff wages for some 3½ half weeks and the failure of the operators to have paid staff superannuation for over 12 months is outrageous. The appropriate authorities need to step in and take immediate action to remedy the situation.

I seriously question what has happened to the fees paid by boat owners and users of Wirrina marina and where the money has gone. Wirrina is a critical part of South Australia's coastal marine infrastructure. We cannot afford to have unpaid staff and we cannot afford to have Wirrina marina operating in the manner in which it is at present. Largely, a volunteer crew is doing its utmost to keep it going.

On Saturday afternoon at 6 o'clock two adult males and a boy in a tinnie were swept three miles out to sea from Wirrina. They were saved as a result of prompt action by the Sea Rescue squadron out of Wirrina. These people have kept it operating, and that is the only reason that they could get out there. Three lives could have been lost because of the failure of the company to run the facility as it should be run.

I heard the tourism minister squawking something about 'the Liberal government built it'. That is irrelevant. I understand that the government has the authority to step in under some lease arrangement. It goes further than that. Fuel companies have not been paid. It has now been unattended for two days while the poor beggar down there takes a couple of days off. I would like to see the government take some action. Wirrina itself used to be called Sunset Cove. It then changed to Wirrina Resorts Pty Ltd. The principal of that company is a gentleman named Mr Warren Turner.

I have corresponded today with the ICA group. I have had a phone call and received a letter from them. They have given indications that they will try to sort out the situation. In the interim I have given them the benefit of the doubt. However, they should get things done quickly. It is not appropriate. Even they say that there are unpaid entitlements of at least $300,000. I also understand that Mr Brett Rankine, a member of one of South Australia's unions, has been involved. The Yankalilla council has finally received over $300,000 in rates.

It is totally inappropriate for this situation to continue. I would like to see the government turn its attention to this matter and find out why staff are not being paid and why superannuation has not been paid. No-one can exist without their appropriate wages and entitlements. It is simply not on. I want Wirrina to be successful. I understand that Labor Party people held a love-in down there in the past 12 months, so they know what is down there. We need good news out of Wirrina, not successive runs of bad news. I think that is the last thing we want. It is in the best interests of South Australia to do something about this situation.

I will quite happily table a letter from the director, Mr Adam Huxley, of ICA Group, Post Box 448, North Sydney, which states:

Our company's involvement in this project has been as a purchaser for the underlying real estate and with the cooperation of the mortgagee MFS and the resort operator Stella Resorts as project managers generally...You would be aware that over the last six weeks council rates in excess of $300,000 was settled through our existing finance arrangements.

Wirrina must be made to be a success. I call on the government of the day to step in, look at the whole shoddy mess and get it sorted out, investigate whether there are any inappropriate issues and tidy it up.

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