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Mrs PENFOLD (Flinders):
Will the Premier advise the house what economic development has been
achieved in the nine months since he announced the Upper Spencer Gulf
Enterprise Zone? Page 17 of the recently released Economic Development Board
report states:
While just
one quarter of the state's population lives in non-metropolitan regions,
these areas of the state make a much greater proportional contribution to
economic activity. The regions are major contributors to export income and
offer significant potential for further export-led growth.
At Whyalla in
July last year, the Premier announced the establishment of the Upper Spencer
Gulf Enterprise Zone. However, despite the acknowledged importance of
regional economic activity, as yet, the government has failed even to
release guidelines for the zone, and we have heard nothing more of it.
The Hon. M.D. RANN (Premier): I
am surprised that the honourable member has not heard anything about it. I
am also surprised, having on a couple of occasions just visited her
electorate, including taking a community cabinet meeting to Ceduna recently
and, indeed, to Port Lincoln before—
The Hon. P.F. Conlon: And building her a desal. plant.
The Hon. M.D. RANN: There was mention of a desalination plant, and other
announcements have been made—including, as well, saving whales in her area.
I am therefore surprised that she did not raise this issue with me. We have
provided funding to assist the development boards to develop the concept of
an enterprise zone, which we will back. But what we are doing is giving them
the tools to do the job—and that is what they wanted from us. I would like
to see some acknowledgment by the member of the support that we are giving
to regional development. |
