Third Sitting Week underway

The third sitting week in the new Parliament is now underway. 

I was pleased in the first sitting week to give notice of three motions: one in relation to the serious shortage of doctors and other medical staff our region is experiencing (which I will speak to in the chamber on 15 June); another highlighting the need for investment in slip lane turning lanes into YP townships off our busy highways (with Hardwicke Bay and Port Vincent particularly in mind); and another requesting an immediate upgrade to the Buckland Park intersection on Highway One to remove the inappropriate traffic lights installed there that undermines the good work by successive governments in improving traffic flow along the North South Corridor.

In regard to ensuring implementation of the recommendations from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Land Access that I served on late last year, I last week released for consultation a draft bill to amend the Mining Act 1971 with the view to correcting the imbalance between farming and mining on agricultural land. Anyone interested in reading this draft legislation and offering feedback can do so by visiting the Home page of this website and clicking on "Get Involved".

After the changes last month to COVID-19 close contact requirements and more recently the further easing of mandatory directions for masks in schools (except in some circumstances), the Labor Government has now lifted the Major Emergency Declaration our state has been operating under since 22 March 2020. Under the amendments made to the Public Health Act which allowed this change to be made, responsibility for COVID directions have been transferred from State Co-ordinator Grant Stevens to the Cabinet. When making these announcements, Premier Malinauskas stressed that lifting the Major Emergency Declaration does not mean the pandemic is over and people who wish to continue to wear masks in any settings are free to do so.

Ag Town of the Year

Nominations have been opened in the search for the 2022 South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year. Previously awarded to Kimba (2021), Pinnaroo (2020) and Cleve (2019), this award recognises regional towns that are excelling in agriculture and the flow-on effect this success has on their communities.

Anyone can nominate their favourite towns (open until Friday 17 June) by visiting Nominate