Primary industry priorities for SE MLC

The new-look SA Cabinet was announced last Thursday, fronted by Premier Malinauskas with 14 MPs and MLCs.

South East-based MLC Clare Scriven retained the Primary Industries and Regional Development portfolio she held for the past year in the Shadow Cabinet, in addition to Forest Industries, while names such as Independent Geoff Brock and Deputy Premier Susan Close were also announced as part of the Ministry.

Less than a week into the job, Ms Scriven said it was a privilege to be the face of the crucial portfolios.

"I'm really excited and I feel very honoured to be in this role as Minister for Regional Development and Primary Industries and Forest Industries," she said.

"It's important because regional people can talk to me about the issues affecting them as regional residents as well as perhaps in primary industries.

"We need to have someone based in the regional area because they understand the day to day things that affect us, which you don't always have line of sight over if you're living in the metropolitan area.

"I'm really pleased I managed to keep these portfolios - they were the three that I had when we were in opposition and I was very keen to keep them now we're in government."

First on the agenda for the South East MLC was to tackle labour shortages and biosecurity in the regions, but she said these would not be an easy fix.

"These are really complex problems, or at least the solutions are very complex, so they have to be a priority in terms of looking at how we create long term solutions to the issues that have perhaps been there for some time, but we're certainly highlighted during COVID-19," Ms Scriven said.

"It seems that under the previous government, it (biosecurity) kind of came to a bit of a standstill, or at least was moving very, very slowly.

"It's very good all of the metropolitan (fruit fly) outbreaks have been contained, but we do still have outbreaks in the Riverland.

"That's something I'm hoping to get an in depth briefing on in the very near future.

"We need to be looking at both what is happening nationally in terms of biosecurity, as well as how that then links in with what we're doing and what to do on a state basis."

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In terms of labour shortage, Ms Scriven said she hoped to work with all levels of government to address the issue.

"It's and industry challenge, and it's also a challenge for regional communities," she said.

"We need to get that cooperation across all of those all of those players.

"People who are affected include businesses who are looking for workers, but also regional development associations and local councils in regional areas.

"The way to address housing shortages in a regional area is perhaps a little bit more complex than it is in a metropolitan capital city.

"It's really got to be about utilising all of the different resources available, not just government, but industry, local government, perhaps non-profits and so on.

"I think that's the way to look at a sustainable long term solution and it's something that obviously is not going to be easy to solve."

Ms Scriven was hesitant to pin down a timeline to solve any specific issue, stating it was more important to get them right rather than set an arbitrary date to have them completed by.

"It can be tempting to say we'll have this, this and this done in the first 12 months, but these are longer term issues that cannot be solved immediately," she said.

"The workforce issue is one that won't necessarily be solved in 12 months, but it's got to be addressed immediately because without workforce of course, none of the other things that we're talking about can be achieved.

"Legislatively, we really need to look at how much consultation has been done, for example, around a particular new Biosecurity Act.

"In opposition, you don't always have line of sight over that, so I want to make sure if we have a new Biosecurity Act we get it right, and that means having very robust and thorough consultation, so we can come out with something that works for all of the industries that are affected by biosecurity and the regulations associated with it."

Issues like the contentious Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989 will not be covered under Ms Scriven's portfolio, instead falling into the hands of the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water.

Despite this, she said she was committed to discussions with stakeholders surrounding the issue.

This comes as the Labor government announced it would invest an extra $1 million to get land condition assessments up to date.

With projects like demonstration farms across the state a key component of the former Liberal government's commitment to agtech, Ms Scriven said she was keen to ensure industry innovation was a priority in her four-year term.

"Innovation is always going to be really important," she said.

"We want to make sure we're always doing better and that comes down to things like water resources, as well as other ways of innovating and making sure that we're using technology for best advantage, both for productivity but also for sustainability.

"I've got obviously some knowledge of the current agtech projects, but it's something I'm looking forward to finding out more about."

Ms Scriven also assured the 10-year fracking moratorium would stay in place under the Labor government, stating the Premier had specifically said there were no plans whatsoever to change it.

She noted in 16 years of the previous Labor government, there was never any fracking in the South East and said the current government would continue to support that.

Prior to the election, former Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham said SA Labor confirmed it would slash funding to regional SA to help pay for the party's $3 billion of "reckless" spending.

"They've (Labor) finally revealed they will slash $670 million from government departments including PIRSA," he said in a Facebook post.

"This means less funding for country roads, mobile black spots, regional development, research & development and biosecurity.

"This is an unfair and irresponsible way to help pay for Labor's election commitments."

In response, Ms Scriven squashed Mr Basham's claims, stating it was just speculation on the Liberal party's behalf.

"I don't think that was based on anything tangible whatsoever," she said.

"All governments go through the normal budget process to look at programs and things that they've committed to during the election period.

"I don't think there's any basis to what the Liberals were trying to drum up there."

Ms Scriven said a key component of her role as Regional Development Minister would be to enable connections between the regions and metropolitan areas in addition to within the regions themselves.

"Whether it's housing, access to transport or training and education, all of those things are the essential building blocks we need to make sure we've got a thriving primary industries sector and thriving regional communities," she said.

"I've already met with Geoff Brock, who of course is now minister for regional roads as well as the local government and across our many of regional local government areas.

"We're agreeing on the importance of trying to get those those interconnections in terms of the services that are essential to make sure that regional areas can continue to develop and thrive.

"I'm very personally committed to that as a minister and as regional person, and I'm very glad to say so is our Premier Peter Malinauskas."

The new Labor government has also committed to investing in regional health systems, with hospital upgrades and jobs for paramedics and ambulance officers the cornerstone of the party's election promises.

Ms Scriven said although they were not covered in her portfolio, they were of high importance as without good health services, people would no be attracted to live and work in regional areas.

"Health is absolutely one of those enabling building blocks, along with housing and transport and so on," she said.

"It was very exciting that before the election we were able to make those commitments and I look forward to those coming to fruition."

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