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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-12-01 Daily Xml
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Limestone Coast

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:09): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Can the minister tell the chamber about the recent country cabinet held along the Limestone Coast and some of the important environmental activity taking place in the region?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for this most important question. Just last week, ministers travelled to the Lower Limestone Coast area for the country cabinet. It was a fantastic opportunity for us all to meet with members of the local community and see firsthand the work that is taking place within the region and their involvement with many of our projects and programs across government.

The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources has a very strong presence, of course, across the state and in that region in particular, thanks to our NRM model. Due to the very nature of this portfolio, we listen to and take regional concerns very seriously, as I have demonstrated time and time again in response to questions in this place. The great thing about country cabinet is Aunty Joan's cream puffs and I was very pleased to sample some of the wares of the Hon. Leon Bignell's Aunty Joan. I was told I could not escape from country cabinet—

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire: She votes Liberal.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: She may, the Hon. Mr Brokenshire, but she certainly makes a pretty good cream puff, I can tell you. The great thing about country cabinet is that it gives regional residents the chance to personally discuss matters directly with ministers and chief executives. It also gives ministers a chance to witness some of the great things that are happening in particular regions around the state.

From Sunday 22 to Tuesday 24 November, country cabinet met right up and down the Limestone Coast. We were admonished by what used to be SELGA and is now the Limestone Coast LGA that they are transitioning the name away from SELGA. Many of us still use that old acronym and we were politely reminded that the new labelling is in place and we chuckled to ourselves when some of them actually used the old name themselves, but it is something we are all getting used to as we redirect our efforts towards the Limestone Coast region and away from the South-East.

This is a beautiful area, of course, as you know, sir, with significant tourism, agriculture and forestry activities. In addition to official cabinet duties and deputations, it was a pleasure to meet members of the community in Mount Gambier during the community barbecue and the public forum held at the Mount Gambier High School, as well as community leaders and volunteers during an afternoon tea at the Kingston Football Club.

On Monday 23 November, I took advantage of my time in the South-East to visit Blackford Drain and see the proposed alignment of the South East Flows Restoration Program which is proceeding apace. This program is the result of $60 million of investment made by the state and federal governments to assist in the managing of salinity levels in the Coorong South Lagoon and enhance water flowing into wetlands in the Upper South-East.

On Tuesday 24 November, I joined community members and volunteers at Carpenter Rocks for two very important events. Firstly, we were celebrating two land acquisitions that will create an important native vegetation corridor for about 50 kilometres from Carpenter Rocks Conservation Park to Southend through Bucks Lake Game Reserve and Canunda National Park.

In addition to the state government contribution, I would like to thank the following organisations for their very generous contributions that have made these acquisitions possible: Nature Foundation SA; Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife in New South Wales; Friends of Naracoorte Caves; Friends of Mount Gambier Area Parks; Friends of Shorebirds, South-East; the Millicent Field Naturalists; and Friends of Canunda and Beachport Parks.

The second event was to celebrate the Hawthorn being declared an historic shipwreck and the unveiling of the interpretive sign to alert visitors of the wreck. We have had over 800 shipwrecks along our coast, but the great thing about the Hawthorn is that it is easily accessible from the beach and could be a great additional tourist attraction for this beautiful area. In fact, it is only several metres out, so people with snorkelling gear can get out and visit the Hawthorn directly.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Did you snorkel out and have a look?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: It was a little rough that day and I decided that discretion was the better part of valour. I did join students and teachers from the Millicent High School who presented their project to increase the number of highly endangered Yarra pygmy perch.

There are only four known locations in the South-East where this fish still exists and, thanks to the students of the Millicent High School, an additional 600 fish were released in the last year alone. I would like to commend the students and the school for promoting such a wonderful program, and I understand they now have a backup site in one of the lakes in Mount Gambier.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many of the locals in the South-East and celebrating their achievements and listening to what they care about and I thoroughly enjoyed Leon Bignell's Aunty Joan's cream puffs. I would like to thank all the residents, community groups and volunteers in the South-East for their hospitality and their very kind welcome.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary, the Hon. Mr Parnell.

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