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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-06-04 Daily Xml
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Cuttlefest

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Can the minister update the chamber on his recent trip to Whyalla for Cuttlefest 2019?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:06): I thank the honourable member for his ongoing interest in regional tourism. It was a privilege on Saturday to be invited to Whyalla to open Cuttlefest 2019. Looking around the city with the mayor, Clare McLaughlin, and the council CEO, Chris Cowley, I could feel a real buzz in the air with the rejuvenation of the steelworks and other recent developments. Indeed, I noted in today's Advertiser Mr Gupta's GFG Alliance has announced the design and build partner for the $350 million Cultana Solar Farm which, of course, is Shanghai Electric.

I also made sure of a visit to the site for the future Whyalla High School, a $100 million investment by the Marshall Liberal government into a state-of-the-art secondary school to accommodate up to 1,500 students, with the first enrolments expected in 2022. I also dropped into the Whyalla Dive Shop and met the owner, Tony Bramley, and learnt all about the giant cuttlefish and the annual aggregation off the shores of Whyalla. Tony shared how word is slowly getting out about the incredible experience you can get diving and snorkelling with the cuttlefish, and how thousands of people each season, including documentary makers and scientists, come from around the world to Whyalla specifically for the cuttlefish.

The Whyalla giant cuttlefish are a unique population that has been described as the chameleons of the sea. They have three hearts with blue blood and reach sometimes between 60 centimetres and a metre in length. Although previously threatened by commercial fishing in the past, Tony was saying the numbers are now on the rise, with an estimated 200,000 giant cuttlefish taking part in last year's aggregation, and the numbers look particularly encouraging for this year. By noon I was on the foreshore to take part in the Cuttlefest, a good community event. We have been well supported by the communities and locals and, in fact, it was a spectacularly beautiful day in Whyalla.

I had come up to Whyalla keen and ready to snorkel among the cuttlefish but, unfortunately, the event organisers recommended against it due to the weather conditions. They said the wind was too strong. I don't think they realised what a strong swimmer I am, and maybe I would have been able to battle the elements. I made a commitment to go back there to swim with the cuttlefish and I encourage all members in this place, if they have a chance to get up there in the next couple of months, for a really great opportunity between late May and early August to witness it for themselves.

I am a strong supporter of regional tourism and the Marshall Liberal government is committed to supporting our regions and driving growth into our regional economies by supporting excellent initiatives, such as the Cuttlefest, throughout our state.

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