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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-03-29 Daily Xml
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ANDAMOOKA

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:55): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations about a recent community workshop held in Andamooka.

Leave granted.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: I understand that the minister was recently in Andamooka to attend a community workshop on land use planning. Will the minister please provide further information on this matter?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:56): I would like to thank the honourable member for her very important question. Members will recall that in February this year I informed the chamber of my support for the Outback Communities Authority's formation of a Town Management Committee to guide the future growth of Andamooka resulting from the impact on the town of the expansion of Olympic Dam. I indicated to the chamber that the government is providing resources to develop and implement a land use structure plan for the town.

On 20 March, a land use planning workshop sponsored by the Outback Communities Authority and the Andamooka Progress and Opal Miners' Association was held in Andamooka to give the community and local stakeholders the opportunity to have a say on what type of development should occur in the town in the coming years, what areas should be protected from development and what infrastructure is required to support the expected growth.

The workshop comprised two sessions: one for local stakeholders held in the morning and a second held in the afternoon for the general community, which I attended. Officers from the Office for State/Local Government Relations, the Outback Communities Authority and the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure facilitated each session. Almost 80 residents and stakeholders were in attendance. When you consider the size of the town and the fact that the sessions were held at 2 o'clock in the afternoon when there were quite a few people at work, I consider the turnout to be quite excellent.

I did get a little bit of criticism—not of myself, but there was some concern that the people up there had not seen anyone from the opposition for many years. They did indicate that there used to be a very strong presence representing the regions and the outback in this chamber a number of years ago but, since Caroline Schaefer left, they had been left isolated. I did try to defend the opposition by explaining the fact that most of them live in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide now and in the foothills, so it was difficult for them to get up in the outback and look after them. That is why I have taken them under my wing—to make sure they are getting some good service and representation.

I was impressed by the high levels of energy at each discussion table, and while there were differing views and ideas put forward, there was a shared passion by the community to help shape the way Andamooka will look in the future. The information received from the workshop is currently being analysed by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and will help shape the structure plan for the town.

A draft plan will be provided to the Outback Communities Authority by the end of May for distribution to the workshop participants and other interested parties for review and comment. Once finalised, the structure plan will help guide future development in Andamooka through the identification of areas for future residential, industrial and commercial development; community services, such as education, health centres and aged-care facilities; community space that should be protected; and essential infrastructure, such as water and power supplies and waste and effluent disposal.

The plan will also provide a basis for the Andamooka Town Management Committee and the community to plan and prioritise services and infrastructure to meet the future demands of the town's growth. Also, while I was there, I attended a barbecue and opened their playground and community facility. It was attended by a couple of hundred people, so when I left there they did feel a little bit more loved than they have for quite a few years.

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