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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-29 Daily Xml
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Election Commitments

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about the delivery of election commitments within her portfolio?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:43): I thank the honourable member for her question and her interest in the portfolio that I have the privilege to hold. This year—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Attorney, you are not helping. Let's listen to the answer in silence.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: This year has been another year of delivery in meeting our election commitments. Those opposite are busy making slick social media videos, stating how they have not changed anything as a party from the party that lost the last election and they have not changed anything as a party from the party that totally lost touch with regional South Australia, but they do have a shiny new logo, which will be of great benefit to the people of South Australia. While they have been busy with these things, our government has been getting on with the job.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister, sit down. I will listen to the point of order.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: Standing order 110 around debate: she is clearly going on about the Liberal Party, when the question was about her own election commitments.

The PRESIDENT: She is entitled to answer the question as she wants. I am sure she is going to stick to the topic.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: As I say, we have been getting on with the job as government. I am very pleased to run through just some of the commitments that we have delivered, and continue to deliver this year, which are of benefit to industries right across the portfolio and the South Australian community.

In forestry, we have delivered the first stage of the development of the Trees on Farms Initiative to promote the environmental and economic benefits of on-farm plantations and guide appropriate partnerships between timber processors and landowners, and supported expanding the role of the Forest Industries Advisory Council so that there is a clear, ongoing platform that will bring all the sectors of the supply chain together. The Malinauskas Labor government has also made significant progress on our commitment to replace fire towers with new technology, with fire towers to be online and operational this current fire season.

The Forest Products Domestic Manufacturing and Infrastructure Masterplan is nearing completion. This is a master plan that has been developed by both industry and government working collaboratively together to identify critical needs in the industry and to assist the forest industry to continue to grow and thrive. Importantly, we are delivering an annual state of the industry report for the horticulture industry which investigates key themes such as investment confidence, consumer confidence and cost of production issues as identified. Government will be working collaboratively, side by side, with AUSVEG SA to deliver this commitment.

In the fisheries and aquaculture space, our government has been working with RecFish SA to deliver several commitments to the recreational fishing community. Indeed, bringing back RecFish SA as the funded peak body for recreational fishing was one of our first commitments delivered and has already proved to be effective in delivering for South Australian anglers. In partnership with RecFish SA, there have been two successful 'come and try' fishing events aimed at increasing participation among women, children and multicultural communities, with more events planned, meeting our commitment to increase participation in recreational fishing.

As for our commitment to better communicate the science behind decisions that impact fishers, we saw late last year and early this year, with the extended snapper closure, the associated assistance package that has taken on stakeholder feedback about the kinds of increased science—or improved science—required going forward and, just recently, a suite of information made available on the PIRSA website to keep anglers updated as the snapper science program continues.

We have delivered on our commitment to working towards healthy fish stocks with a section 20 allocation panel established, including representatives from RecFish SA and the commercial sector, to undertake full reviews of fishing allocations where required. Earlier this year, we made the permanent regulation change to protect the giant Australian cuttlefish in the Upper Spencer Gulf—such an important and iconic species that is so critical to Whyalla and surrounding communities in terms of the incredible natural phenomenon drawing tourists from near and far each winter, including from around the globe.

Of course, there is not enough time to list the many more commitments that we have delivered, but it is safe to say that these examples show a government that is committed to our farming, fishing and forest industries, and one that will continue to be committed as long as we have the privilege of being in government.

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