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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-05 Daily Xml
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Whyalla

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:35): Today, I rise to speak about Whyalla. Whyalla's future has been in the spotlight throughout 2021. Speculation regarding the finances of GFG Alliance has made global headlines, but Whyalla is an incredibly resilient community that will not be distracted from their focus on realising their exciting potential. Despite GFG's financial situation—caused by the collapse of a main financier, and not mismanagement of assets—its Whyalla operations are in the strongest position in years, an important aspect that has been missing in much of the recent media hype.

Local GFG representatives regularly brief the council, Chamber of Commerce and other key stakeholders. Recent briefings have highlighted record rates of production, strong product demand and a very positive attitude from employees, despite the external speculation. The operators are now profitable. Only 12 months ago, there were significant losses year on year, so the local team has done an outstanding job turning things around.

This very positive news, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting to our nation the critical importance of domestic manufacturing, gives the community confidence in GFG's future in Whyalla. As well as GFG's local success, major developments in Whyalla add to the excitement around the city:

1. A brand-new, world-class jetty—supported by state funding—that is attracting record tourist numbers and global acclaim.

2. A new $100 million state high school set for completion later this year.

3. The federally funded $12.1 million upgrade of the airport, improving security and better positioning Whyalla to capitalise on fly-in fly-out opportunities and the short 45-minute flight from Adelaide.

4. The Cuttlefish Coast Sanctuary Tourism and Environmental Management Project, with $2.1 million in state funding, which will create a huge boost in regional tourism.

5. Major construction projects of a new Aldi store and ElectraNet electricity infrastructure upgrade, totalling nearly $300 million.

6. These above activities have created a rental market boom and rise in median house prices.

These are exciting achievements creating a genuine optimism about Whyalla's future. However, it remains critical that Whyalla continues to receive extensive support from state and federal governments to complement and diversify the existing economy, easing the ongoing reliance on the steel industry. Key priorities include:

1. Whyalla as a hydrogen hub, with the city ideally placed to deliver and cater for world-class hydrogen production.

2. GFG's green steel transformation vision.

3. Promotion of industry, utilising the Whyalla Port for export opportunities.

4. State, Whyalla city council and local stakeholder collaboration on the potential uses of the future surplus state government high school sites, ensuring maximum benefits for the community and the state. The collaboration needs to take into account the city's Foreshore Master Plan process and the need to create temporary workers' accommodation to address the current housing shortage.

5. Maximising education opportunities from UniSA and TAFE Whyalla campuses.

6. Attraction and retention of skilled workers and their families through the Upper Spencer Gulf's 'Housing' and 'Image and Liveability' strategies.

Identifying and prioritising defence-related opportunities from the adjacent Cultana defence base. Whyalla remains positive about its future, but much will depend on critical ongoing state and federal support. The state government demonstrated confidence in the future of Whyalla through its significant investment in the new high school. It is now imperative that governments continue this level of support, ensuring that these investments realise and foster a growing, diversified workforce and economy for Whyalla, the region and South Australia for decades to come.

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