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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-04-03 Daily Xml
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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOARDS

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:36): Is the minister surprised that there is no representation from forestry in the South-East (reportedly worth $2 billion) and the wine industry in the Limestone Coast, yet I am advised there are representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on the RDA board?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:36): Mr President, I cannot believe that the honourable member would get back on his feet and ask such an irrelevant question. I thought I had gone to considerable length in my answer. The honourable member keeps coming in time and time again and asking repeat questions on this. So, I thought I would take some time and outline it in some detail. I do not usually spend so much time; I would prefer not to.

Clearly, the honourable member is having trouble grasping the concept that this is a selection process that is largely outside my control. The elements that I do have control over I have just gone through step by step, outlining the approaches that have been made to absolutely maximise opportunity for full participation in this process. I have already outlined that.

We have busted our boilers trying to generate more interest in these RDAs. The question is not one of surprise: the question is one of disappointment that the RDAs are not attracting the level of participation that they could. If the honourable member really had the RDAs' interests at heart he would be getting off his tail and getting out there for a change and promoting the benefits of RDAs on the ground and using his networks to encourage his colleagues to promote business. That is what he should be doing.

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