Pastoral Board

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:12): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the illustrious Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation questions about the axing of the Pastoral Board.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: The Pastoral Board was established to administer the Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989, which included managing the pastoral lease system, implementing property plans to prevent land degradation and for collecting and recording annual stock returns. They are also responsible for assisting the Valuer-General in determining pastoral rents (or ripping off pastoralists, in my opinion). The board was made up of people who had an extensive knowledge of the issues facing regional South Australians. I will be the first to say that the board was not perfect and that it had its flaws, its faults, yet even flawed it was able to speak on behalf of those affected by the decisions of the government and by the decisions of bureaucrats.

Unfortunately, since the announced axing of the board, community consultation with pastoral leaseholders has been lacking. As such, pastoralists are at a loss as to how they are expected to proceed with issues that were once handled by the board. They are also concerned that they will be lumped with a replacement model that does not represent their best interests and which will give bureaucrats, who probably know nothing about pastoral agriculture, too much of a say in their business affairs. The questions I would like answers on now from the minister are:

1. The government has suggested—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: I always used to answer questions when I was a minister. My questions are:

1. The government has suggested that the Pastoral Board could be replaced with an alternative engagement model. Could you explain, minister, what this model is, how it would work and whether pastoralists will be consulted in any shaping of a new model?

2. Between the axing of the board and the beginning of any replacement model, what department or person is responsible for the day-to-day issues previously handled by the board? For example, where can a pastoralist submit proposed applications when developing leases, or who will take over the Pastoral Board's role of advising and issuing pastoral rent notices? This was done on behalf of the minister in conjunction with the Valuer-General's office, and they are due very soon.

3. Many pastoralists would like to see any new unit placed under PIRSA and become more industry focused. Is this something the government is considering?

4. Are there any plans to abolish or amend the Pastoral Lands Management and Conservation Act?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:15): I thank the honourable member for his very important questions, and I would like to acknowledge his ongoing representation of the farming community in this place, which he does in an illustrious way. When the honourable member rose to his feet and asked the question of the 'illustrious', I thought he was referring to my leader, who can truly be referred to as being illustrious in her role. We all look up to her. In fact, Mr President, when she was not here on the last Thursday of sitting, you may have noticed as I did that the whole tone of the place was a little hangdog. We had no leadership here. The opposition was missing the leader and—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: They were lost, and I have to say, as indeed was I—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the floor.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —looking forlornly to my leader who was not here, but of course the opposition were having a bad time. It was like the end of term. They could hardly drag themselves in to ask a question of me.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Point of order, Mr President. This is a disgraceful waste of question time. You yourself, Mr President, said you wanted to make sure the crossbenchers got four questions today, and we have had this rubbish for more than a minute. Please direct him to answer the question.

The PRESIDENT: Minister, just sit down for a sec. From both sides it is getting a little bit unwieldy in this chamber at the moment. The minister has the floor. He is the only person, I think, who should be speaking while he is trying to answer the question.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Mr President, thank you for your protection. I was just trying to pass a few compliments around the chamber, as is my usual manner. As I am sure honourable members are aware, the government has recently undertaken a review of boards and committees. The review was implemented in order to find new and innovative ways to ensure that advice to government on policy issues flows more directly from citizens and businesses alike straight to government.

The review is also aimed at improving the community's access to government decision-making and reducing red tape. As part of this review it has become clear that a more effective way of engaging with community on pastoral issues might be desirable. I have been exploring these options with the member for Stuart in the other place, who brought a delegation of pastoralists to see me in recent times, and I look forward to working closely with members of parliament in this place and the other house in moving this initiative forward to ensure we can provide the community with more open and transparent communication on pastoral issues, because that is what this government does.