The Frome electorate has been an Independent seat since 2009, held by Geoff Brock, who is now running for a seat in Stuart due to electorate boundary changes. Without Mr Brock, the electorate has been deemed a safe Liberal seat. Candidates in the mainly Clare and Gilbert Valley electorate are Independent's Cate Hunter, National's Loma Silsbury, One Nation's Caterina Johnston, Liberal's Penny Pratt, and Labor's Ashton Charvetto.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing Frome?
HUNTER: I believe the biggest challenge facing Frome is turning around the negative impact caused by the neglect of the major parties of this region across many years. Big party politics is increasingly city-centric. The regions are being left behind.
I believe regional communities are best represented by an authentic local independent voice. My three top priorities in this task would be economic recovery of the region, the fixing of a broken regional health care system and increased investment in local infrastructure.
PRATT: I think voters in Frome are facing great opportunities. SA has the fastest growing economy in the nation and, as I drive from town to town, I am reminded every day that is due to our primary industries.
JOHNSTON: For me it's our ailing health sector, and the housing and accommodation crisis. Local country hospitals have closed or been turned into little more than nursing homes. People in our region have little choice but to travel a long distance for appropriate health care. I'm also very worried about the drastic shortage of vacancies and affordable housing in SA.
SILSBURY: In short I believe the biggest issues in Frome are, sustainable water supply and dryland salinity; parity access to health and education services for all residents - not merely a few - and stopping the brain drain to the cities.
What do you see as the major issue affecting SA agriculture? How would you rectify this?
HUNTER: From talking with local people in agriculture, the workforce shortage is the single biggest issue affecting the industry. The other major issues of drought resilience, innovation, infrastructure are all important but a lack of suitable workers is huge.
The border restrictions have had a big impact because of there being fewer backpackers, but a real focus should be training a local workforce and attracting people to a career in agriculture in our region. I want to see stronger promotion of the career paths and diversity of roles in agriculture, and better training for local needs.
PRATT: The main risk to agricultural communities would be a Labor government. Contrast this to the Marshall Liberal government, which has proven that it will stand and work with farmers on issues affecting them.
Since the 2018 election, our Mid North farming communities have received more than $100 million of investment, which has meant new equipment and facilities for schools, pools and sporting clubs.
JOHNSTON: There are plenty of issues affecting agriculture. An important one is water security - governments have no choice but to prescribe shared water resources like rivers and aquifers, but I see no need for them to meter on-farm dams or pressure farmers to install low-flow bypasses.
One Nation understands farmers' needs for water security and is prepared to invest in large-scale projects that provide it.
SILSBURY: Adaptation to a changing climate is an increasing focus for agriculture across the state and, Frome is no different. The Goyder's Line Sustainability Hub, with its various case studies showing how sustainability is already being practiced, is part of the challenge ahead.
RELATED:
Do you think enough funding is being directed to regional infrastructure, eg roads and health facilities?
HUNTER: This is where we have seen the big parties ignore regional areas the most. Their focus is on the city - such as the $660 million that is being spent on the sports stadium in the Adelaide central business district.
That money could be spent on regional roads, upgrading the Kapunda hospital, making sure the Eudunda and Balaklava hospitals are fit for purpose, and investing in equipment and skills shortages in Clare Hospital.
Much needed improvements in the road network would reduce transport costs for businesses and bring economic benefit. How are we to attract people to live and work in our region if there are not high quality roads and health services? This is why I believe it is so important that the needs of the area are not ignored by the big parties. Local people deserve better than that.
PRATT: No, not at all. We always need more, which is why I am motivated to be a part of a Liberal government that will keep delivering as it has for the past four years.
JOHNSTON: I think regional SA is always the poor cousin of Adelaide when it comes to roads and other infrastructure. The list of regional roads needing urgent maintenance or upgrades is long and getting longer, while the state government commits billions to projects in Adelaide that do little other than shave a few minutes off people's commutes. I also want to see better investment in country health facilities that directly meet community needs.
SILSBURY: Sadly, given availability of funding and labour, the answer may be 'almost', however, we appear to be in serious need of reassessing forward planning initiatives for comparative capital expenditure and maintenance costs when compared to alternatives.
In my opinion, alternate solutions that have not been fully investigated, may well be more cost effective and provide a better service to the community. The locals almost uniformly believe we made a drastic mistake in dismantling our railways in favour of the present very unsatisfactory road system.
Preliminary investigation seems to suggest the cost involved with establishing and maintaining a rapid transit rail corridor would be far less than the present very unsatisfactory road system.
The substantial freeing up of tax dollars will therefore aid other essential services, such as health and education, and capital works, such as low rental housing, ambulance and emergency services.
- Labor's Ashton Charvetto was invited to participate but did not respond before deadline.
Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Sign up here to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.
