Regional roads have been abandoned under Peter Malinauskas’ first Cabinet reshuffle with the standalone portfolio previously held by Geoff Brock now absorbed into the broader portfolio of Infrastructure and Transport held by Tom Koutsantonis.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:17): I rise to make a contribution in regard to the consideration of the second report of the Standing Orders Committee. This has come about due to the legislation that was passed last year to establish a State Voice, which we on this side were against. Personally, I think legislation by segregation is a terrible thing, but here we are discussing the standing orders that have been worked through in regard to people of Aboriginal descent speaking to the chamber and having access to ministers and the full cabinet, if need be.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (16:32): I rise to speak to the AUKUS (Land Acquisition) Bill 2024 and note the speed at which this legislation is hoped to be expedited through the house. It is an unusual speed and barely used. I know we had similar speed with the anti-protester legislation in the not too distant past. and I guess on the same scale as this, to a degree, was the Olympic Dam legislation several years ago where BHP was proposing to open the top up of their mine at Roxby  Downs. It would have taken years of scraper operations. I think, from memory, it was a $30 billion project and it would have really opened up and realised great access to that copper resource which has—my son did tell me because he has worked up there—somewhere over 1,200 kilometres of underground roads; it might be closer to 1,600, and it is a great boon for the state.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (10:49): I rise on this proposal to replace what was an excellent committee in this parliament, the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee. The Parliamentary Committees (Aboriginal Affairs Committee) Amendment Bill should be voted through so that we can reach out to our Aboriginal communities and have the ability to visit communities under the auspices of the parliament and look at issues, as we did. I certainly did so in the time that I was on the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee, and I learnt some interesting information along the way.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:27): I rise to support this motion by the member for Bragg:

That this house—

(a) notes 18 to 24 March is Harmony Week; and

(b) acknowledges the range of valuable activities undertaken in our community under the theme of 'everyone belongs'.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:29): I move:

That this house—

(a) recognises the significant value of the agricultural industry and thanks those primary producers who secure over $17 billion per annum to the South Australian economy;

(b) notes that the sheep industry is forecasting the worst fall in prices since 2014, policy-induced disruptions to the sector, and the highest cost of doing business in history; and

(c) calls on the Malinauskas Labor government to condemn the policy actions of the federal government, which is harming the sheep industry and the agricultural sector more broadly.

The Liberal Opposition has welcomed the announcement of a $168 million investment for a series of safety treatments across some of the state’s most problematic regional roads.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (16:27): I rise to make a contribution to the Statutes Amendment (National Energy Laws) (Wholesale Market Monitoring) Bill. It was back on 8 June 2022 that energy ministers agreed to consider additional legislative reform, and that this was having a look at options to enable new gas and electricity contract market-monitoring powers as an immediate priority for introduction into the South Australian parliament, to ensure that the Australian Energy Regulator has the full information and visibility it needs.

Popular rideshare service Uber has called on the Malinauskas Labor Government to expand private transport options in the regions.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:40): I rise to speak to the Innamincka and Moomba fact-finding visit. Apart from having a longstanding interest in that area, I worked there 40 years ago and have made multiple trips since. It is a fantastic part of the world. There is oil drilling and exploration, and obviously gas in the Cooper Basin through to Queensland and the Northern Territory.