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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-02-17 Daily Xml
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Regional Growth Fund

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:26): I rise today to speak about what the Marshall Liberal government is doing to support regional South Australia. The Treasurer outlined in the most recent state budget that the Marshall Liberal government is investing more than $1.6 billion in new measures to support our regions. This investment is building the important infrastructure, providing better services, supporting economic growth and, most importantly, creating jobs.

Key measures for the Department of Primary Industries and Regions is supporting regional South Australia with over $187 million in funding. These measures include more than $67 million for vital bushfire recovery across Kangaroo Island, the Adelaide Hills, Yorke Peninsula and the South-East of our state. More than $40 million has been provided to enhance biosecurity, including initiatives to ensure South Australia remains fruit fly free. The recent fruit fly outbreaks, which threaten our $1.3 billion horticultural industry and the 4,000 businesses and 37,500 jobs it supports, confirms the need for this important investment.

The Regional Growth Fund received $25 million in the state budget, including an extra $10 million on top of the special one-off $15 million stimulus round to assist the economic recovery of regional areas from the COVID-19 pandemic. South Australia's aquaculture and fisheries remain a priority, with the Marshall Liberal government's $24.5 million historic commercial fishing reform, $16 million for the upgrade of the South Australian Aquatic Sciences Centre at West Beach and an additional $20 million for badly needed jetty and boat ramp upgrades.

Long-suffering drought-affected primary producers will continue to be supported through the targeted $21 million drought support package. The Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, David Basham, who has nearly 30 years' experience as a successful dairy farmer, typifies the Marshall Liberal government's will to back South Australia's regions. I am proud that we as a responsible government are investing more than $1.6 billion in new measures across regional South Australia to provide better services, support economic growth and create jobs.

Key regional infrastructure projects include the sealing of the Strzelecki Track to support the agriculture and mining industries in the Far North, Main South Road and Victor Harbor Road safety upgrades for the benefit of those on the Fleurieu Peninsula, and of course the many tourists who head there almost every day, Hahndorf traffic improvements in the Adelaide Hills, as well as critical road maintenance across the state, from the West Coast to the South-East and the Mid North in between.

As we know only too well, 2020 was a tough year for South Australians and our regions have been hit particularly hard, firstly with drought, then bushfires and, of course, coronavirus. The Marshall Liberal government will continue to provide support to our primary producers who need it through our bushfire recovery programs and our drought support package.

South Australia's regions are a key driver of our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we are investing in our agricultural industries to increase productivity and create jobs. The Marshall Liberal government's Regional Growth Fund has been successfully backing our regional economy since its introduction in 2018, and the extra funding in last year's budget is providing immediate stimulus investment in our regional communities.

Protecting South Australia's fruit fly pest-free status remains an important priority, as I outlined a moment ago, and it is a serious challenge and important that we do it very well. We will continue to spend what we need to to ensure our horticultural industry maintains that market advantage right across the world where it competes. Our zero tolerance policy has targeted the threat of Queensland fruit fly from the east, but with the Mediterranean fruit fly outbreaks in metropolitan Adelaide we are planning to expand this approach to our western border as well.

South Australia's commercial and recreational fishing industries are important contributors to our state's economy, and we continue to invest in the fishing industry to increase opportunities and encourage growth therein. The Marshall Liberal government is building what matters to keep South Australians safe and strong, back businesses and create jobs, and our commitment to the regions is proof of that.

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