Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Boothby for bringing this important motion forward. I must say it gives me an opportunity to talk about some of the great progress we're making on works in the electorate of Grey. In the last few weeks we've seen some of the unprecedented infrastructure investment in the electorate of Grey get underway. Tenders have been called for the duplication of the Joy Baluch AM Bridge—and it always seems, Deputy Speaker Hogan, that you are in the seat when I talk about Port Augusta, and so you are tonight!—and there is the Port Wakefield flyover and the lane duplication project there.

For years in South Australia we wondered what it would be like to have governments in both Adelaide and Canberra that understood the true value of the economic power that lies beyond our city borders. The advent of aligned Liberal governments is delivering a huge dividend for South Australia, and it is an overdue reward for the thousands of people who live beyond our city's boundaries, working, caring for our country and providing the all-important export income for our nation.

People are beginning to see projects roll out. Just recently we've seen the completion of the new Rocky River Bridge on National Highway near Crystal Brook. For years, motorists have breathed in each time they've met another car and trucks have had their mirrors touch as they pass. Fortunately, their journey will now be much safer. Under the same grant process we've installed extra passing lanes south of Port Augusta and between Port Augusta and Whyalla. People in the Clare Valley and northern regions are eagerly awaiting the delivery of the federal government's election commitment of $44 million to upgrade the very poor Horrocks Highway. The state government has committed an extra $11 million. Likewise, users of the Barrier Highway linking Adelaide to Broken Hill will have a safer road after a commitment of $50 million from the federal government, which I expect to be matched in the same ratio by the state. Eyre Peninsula roads will also benefit from a combined $32 million commitment from both governments for road works to help deal with the closure of the 100-year-old narrow gauge railway line. More is committed to the Eyre Highway as well as $64 million to begin the installation of dual lanes on the Augusta Highway north of Port Wakefield. Overall, the federal government is providing very nearly $500 million in Grey for major road works, and that is expected to be boosted to about $600 million by the state contribution. I thank state minister Stephan Knoll for working so closely with me on these projects.

Sometimes, federal contributions to councils get low notice, but the bulk of local road funding comes from federal governments. We've increased the Roads to Recovery Program by 25 per cent and extended the SA specific Supplementary Local Road Funding program, which the member for Barker and I fought hard to retain. This is a real equity issue, and they're very important funds for our local country councils. In May I had the pleasure of opening the Kyancutta to Mount Wedge section of bitumen, linking Wudinna to Elliston by sealed road. Others in the past have included the Balumbah Kinnaird Road and the Maitland to Clinton Centre roads, all paid for under the Roads to Recovery Program, and they are good examples of the use of these funds being big steps forward in the regions.

In Grey alone, the Building Better Regions Fund program has delivered more than $35 million for community projects over the last five years. A further $20 million has been allocated to new expanding industries in the Upper Spencer Gulf in the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages and millions more on roads through the Black Spot Program. Remote air strips in Yorketown, from Yorketown to Marree, have had serious attention as well as the most recent commitment being a million dollars to seal the Peterborough airstrip.

The federal government has also made a commitment of $10 million to match the state government's $10 million, with $5 million to come from growers, to replace 1,600 kilometre of the 2,200 kilometre 100-year-old dog fence in South Australia. This will be an investment that will pay dividends for the next 80 to 100 years, just as the last investment has. That fence is leaking dogs terribly at the moment. I was up at Marree only a few weeks ago and I spoke to a grower up there who lives on the inside of the fence. He expects to run sheep but has lost 1,700 sheep to dog attacks in the last 12 months. So it's a very serious problem and the time has come: the fence is worn out and needs replacing, and we are delivering on that program.

This list is far from exhaustive but it's a clear demonstration that we, as governments, believe in our regions. The Liberal governments in both Adelaide and Canberra are such strong assets to the rural and regional people in South Australia.

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