June update

We’re now on the eve of another State Budget and I am hopeful significant investment will be announced for our electorate, hot on the heels of the very welcome steady stream of funding allocations announced over the last couple of months.

This has included $970,000 for local sport clubs, $3 million for Port Broughton/Fisherman’s Bay stormwater systems, $509,000 for the Wallaroo to Moonta Walking/Cycling path and Moonta’s Queen Square project, and the confirmation this week that three new salaried doctor positions for the Wallaroo Hospital has been approved to replace the unsustainable locum system caps off a very good month.

Aside from saving money, the latter news will certainly improve continuity of care for patients and will offer increased support for all who work at this busy hospital, our largest in the electorate.

Local recipients from the State Government’s 2020-21 Infrastructure Projects Grants Program were $251,200 for Mallala Football Club to build new unisex changerooms, toilets, umpires’ room and upgrade its administration and storage areas; $21,350 for Southern Yorke Peninsula Basketball Association for a new stadium roof and installation of solar panels; $445,400 for Minlaton District Community & Sporting Centre for a new function centre, unisex changerooms, umpires and treatment rooms; $199,500 for Bute Sporting Club to upgrade their changerooms, toilets, officials rooms, verandah and storage areas; $12,400 for Copperclub Golf & Sporting Centre Inc for a new toilet block and drinking fountain; and $37,300 for Port Vincent Progress Association to upgrade and resurface three courts at Port Vincent Sports Hub.

Congratulations to all of these organisations and the locals within them who work hard for their communities.

After all these announcements, a new round of this fund was opened just a week later thus I encourage local sports clubs and organisations who wish to update their facilities to apply for a share of the $20.6 million allocated in this new round which is open until 4 August.

For more information call the electorate office or visit the Grants tab on this website.  

I joked the other day that now I receive more complaints about road works than I do about bad roads, and whilst slower speeds can be frustrating and do impact efficiencies, in the overall big scheme of things, what a terrific problem to face!

I welcomed the recent announcement of roads funding for the Adelaide Plains district, which includes $2.390 million to seal 8.9 kilometres of Middle Beach Road; $650,000 for Aerodrome Road (2.9km Hall Street to Farrelly Road); $1,020,000 for Barabba Road (4.6km Redbanks Road to Mallala Road); and $620,000 for Cheek Road (2.75km Redbank’s Road to Wasleys Road).

There was also news about significant allocations for  Maitland to Minlaton Road and Yorke Highway between St Vincent Highway and Curramulka.

Multiple roadworks are already underway, including at Port Wakefield, Carslake Road junction near Dublin, resurfacing and shoulder works along the Port Wakefield Road between Shrike Road and Inkerman Road, at Kulpara, and on the Arthurton to Maitland road which is all terrific.

There’s still plenty of infrastructure and maintenance sought. Front of mind is the entrance road from Kadina into Wallaroo (petition sheets will soon be collected from local businesses), the North Coast Road at Point Turton, and smaller road safety projects like slip lanes into tourist towns such as Hardwicke Bay, Port Vincent, and Port Julia.

I also seek a new sea rescue vessel for Point Turton, upgrades for CFS stations, dedicated funding for jetty upgrades, and more mobile phone base stations.

Of the latter, I received a petition from the Tickera community last week requesting reliable mobile phone and internet services for that growing township, and I encourage all to continue to contact me with black spots information (and road black spots) so I can effectively advocate to make it happen. 

In Parliament

It has been a busy time in parliament with a range of legislative considerations requiring painstaking thought.

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill has passed the Lower House (33 votes to 11) and now returns to the Upper House for further consideration. If it passes there, the bill will become law. Whilst I am personally opposed to euthanasia, my assessment from the significant local feedback I received was that a majority of the electorate were in favour of this bill and thus I voted accordingly. I really appreciated the huge volume of people who contacted me on this issue to share their thoughts and guide my decision making.

There is always a myriad of bills to consider; another I mention is the debate underway on whether to ban corflute election posters on public property. The feedback I’ve received leads me to believe  our community would like to see them banned, the message being they are bad for the environment, unsightly and unnecessary.

All my speeches are available to listen to via this website (see Parliament tab).

Don't hesitate to make contact with any State concerns.