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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-11-26 Daily Xml
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Regional Growth Fund

Mr BASHAM (Finniss) (14:21): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister update the house on how the state government is delivering a stronger economy through the Regional Growth Fund?

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:21): I thank the member for Finniss for his important question. He knows too well, like many of the regional members, how important the Regional Growth Fund is to building and driving an economy. Local regional economies are the backbone of South Australia. I am pleased to announce that recently I announced recipients that will be a part of the $5 million competitive grants stream in the Regional Growth Fund.

There are 10 projects that have been funded, and those projects will unlock about $14.6 million of investment and create about 160 or more jobs in the regions. These projects are part of industry and the regions. The funding will give a stimulus to those regional centres from as far south as Mount Gambier, all the way up to the Far North at the junction of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Track, and, of course, the great wine-growing regions of South Australia: the Barossa, McLaren Vale and, of course, Langhorne Creek.

As the member for Finniss has asked this question, we should just note that he is a recipient in the lovely electorate of Finniss down at Fleurieu Peninsula, where the historic Chart Room—

Mr HUGHES: Point of order: this information is all publicly available.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Giles.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister for Education.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Were the minister quoting from a publicly available document, that would be a point of order. The very fact that the minister is talking about an issue that is in the public domain is relevant to almost every question and answer in this house. That is a bogus point of order.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. I think I know what the member for Giles is alluding to. I will listen to the minister and ensure that, apart from publicly available information, he also provides information in addition to that. I anticipate that he will, but I will be listening very carefully. Minister.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: I certainly will, sir. It's ironic that the spokesperson for regional development is not interested in hearing about good news for the regions of South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: Isn't it ironic? But what I will say is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left will cease interjecting. I ask the minister to come back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: —that it is great news for the Fleurieu and down at Goolwa. Some of that funding will go to the historic Chart Room in Goolwa. It is going to provide a new lease of life for that building, which is an historic, beautiful two-storey building that has significant foot traffic and visitation. It was once a pop-up business that brought the shipbuilding industry to life down at Goolwa. What we will see now is that the capacity for the Chart Room will give the ability for start-ups and those pop-up businesses to be a part of that precinct. As I have said, it will attract high levels of visitation and foot traffic that will expand on the capacity for start-ups down at that precinct.

I must say that the member for Finniss has been over the moon to think that an historic piece of history will be rejuvenated and it will have a new lease of life. This funding is critically important to the ability to attract people down to the foreshore at Goolwa, but it's also giving, as I said, the ability for new start-up businesses to be part of that precinct. It also removes the burden of start-up costs for businesses, and it will allow new enterprises to grow into larger shopfronts or office space with time.

The Chart Room will provide an avenue for these ventures to attract existing and new small businesses. It gives them the ability to further connect with that passing visitation. It also provides an opportunity for new enterprise to capitalise on that visitation. The project will create work for the local skilled workforce. The member for Finniss would know that there is a large amount of very ornate stonework that will need high levels of tradesmen's expertise down there. The carpentry and the woodwork, as part of this beautiful building, will need to be brought out. As a local content into the rebuild of the Chart Room, I think it's a great initiative, a great investment, and gives the ability for a regional pop-up.

We see many pop-ups here in metropolitan Adelaide, and the ability for pop-ups to pop up in our regions is a great initiative. It's taxpayers' money well spent because we know #RegionsMatter.

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