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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-10-31 Daily Xml
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Limestone Coast Country Cabinet

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:28): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier please update the house on the recent country cabinet meeting in the South-East, the Limestone Coast?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:28): Thanks, Mr Speaker, but, most importantly, thanks to the member for MacKillop because not only has he diligently again demonstrated his commitment to his electorate by asking a thoughtful question but he also was of major assistance in making sure that the country cabinet meeting that we had last week in MacKillop was a success.

It's fair say that, in both the community forum and all the different engagements that we had around it, there were some really serious issues raised by members of the member for MacKillop's constituency. There are many parts of the region and his community that continue to thrive and do well, given the very productive sectors and industries they represent. There are some very successful farmers and business leaders and entrepreneurs in the area, but there are also some elements of the community who are doing it a bit tough, including primary producers, particularly beef—or particularly lamb, in fact—who have seen a significant reduction in price recently on the back of a whole range of variables.

Obviously, the wine sector in the region in and around the Coonawarra is having a particularly difficult time at the moment—as we see in wine regions around the country including the Riverland, McLaren Vale and the Barossa, but we can talk about the progress there another time—but also the seafood sector.

The member for MacKillop kindly arranged for me to meet with both a wholesaler and a retailer in the sector who particularly rely on lobster for the bulk of the trade, and they are doing it tough. We haven't heard any news come out of China recently regarding movement on lobster tariffs, although I think there is reason for great optimism in that regard.

There was also an opportunity on the back of country cabinet for the government—following the advocacy from the member for MacKillop—to really try to deliver on a few issues that we know have been bubbling away in the South-East not just for the last few months but, really, years on years. The big one that has been lingering for a long time is a lack of mobile phone coverage of any quality throughout the Limestone Coast.

This is a challenge that I know is not unique to the Limestone Coast, but it has been a major issue in the Limestone Coast for a long time. Not just the member for MacKillop but also the member for Mount Gambier have certainly made representations to the government over this since we have been elected and also prior.

Fortunately, this government has been able to work with local government—no less than six councils in the Limestone Coast—and also with Telstra to formulate a comprehensive package that would see a $27 million upgrade on 27 new mobile phone towers to be installed right across the Limestone Coast which will result in a dramatic increase, I think an over 40 per cent increase, in mobile phone coverage across the South-East, including data.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Patterson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morphett!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: That will mean big productivity—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —gains for businesses and primary producers right throughout the South-East. The member for MacKillop and the member for Mount Gambier can take a lot of credit for putting this together. It is on the back of their substantial advocacy and they have found a government willing to listen. More than that, they have found a government willing to act. In fact—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —they have found a government willing to put our hands in the pockets of Treasury to make these investments, which means it's not just a hashtag we're talking about, but real policy making a difference on the Limestone Coast.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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