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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-06-15 Daily Xml
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Regional Development

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Regional Development about regional development.

Leave granted.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: On multiple dates across multiple questions, the Minister for Regional Development has stated multiple times that issues related to regional transport, regional infrastructure, regional roads and regional business do not equate to the portfolio of regional development. On 8 March this year, the minister stated, and I quote:

Of course, every aspect of regional living is relevant to regional development, but that is different from being directly responsible for that. If I was to take a different view then I would potentially become minister for regional health, minister for regional transport, minister for regional education, the list would go on.

And also, and I quote:

Stakeholders who I [met] with—which I do of course on a very regular basis, both here in Adelaide but importantly out in their own areas as well—do bring up issues which intersect with all areas of regional life. I am very fortunate to be able to have input into those discussions, but in terms of direct responsibility we of course have appropriate ministers for that.

My questions to the Minister for Regional Development are:

1. If not transport, infrastructure and business, what does regional development represent in the minister's portfolio?

2. Does the minister reflect that regional development may not in fact be a ministry under this current government but a conduit office to more effective ministers?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is a shame that she wasn't able to be here yesterday—I think it was yesterday—when I was able to talk about—no, she was here. It was on Tuesday, when we talked in response to a question from the Hon. Ben Hood.

We appreciate that those opposite like to follow in the steps of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, where they think that one minister can be appointed to perhaps all the ministries of the government. That was the view of Scott Morrison, it would have appeared, and it seems that perhaps those opposite are following in that same train of thought.

If the Leader of the Opposition doesn't know what regional development means, that really does indicate—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: So those opposite think that they know the answer to the question, so why are they asking the question? I think if those opposite don't understand what regional development is, that reflects far more on them and they are taking their constituency, their traditional constituency, for granted.

We have heard for years—we have heard for years—from those opposite and their predecessors how they are in touch with the regions. They had a #RegionsMatter and yet it was very clear from the former Liberal government in their four years in government that they didn't understand regional areas, they didn't care about regional areas, they paid lip-service to regional areas and what did they do? Well, the regional areas told them what they could do and it certainly wasn't to remain in government here in South Australia.

Regional development is very broad but to suggest that by saying that the regional development minister is not directly responsible for health, transport or education just shows that those opposite don't have an understanding of either how government works or how one can advocate effectively across a multitude of issues that do affect regional areas.

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