It has been revealed that there is a staggering $8 million sitting idle in the Boating Facilities Fund according to the Auditor-General’s 2017 Annual Report tabled in Parliament this week.

Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick, criticised the Weatherill Labor Government for failing to ensure that this money was being spent to upgrade boating facilities to support recreational fishers and tourism in the Hammond Electorate.

In a key commitment to health services in Murray Bridge, the State Liberals today announced that they will ensure the heated pool and spa at the Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital remain open and operational if elected in March 2018.

SA Health is currently responsible for the maintenance of the heated pool and spa which have both been closed to the public for extended periods of time as maintenance works continue to be delayed.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:52): I rise to support this motion by the member for Chaffey, which in the first part acknowledges the importance of having safe and adequate boating facilities across South Australia for boat owners and fishers but also condemns the state government for leaving $8.6 million of the boating facilities levy unspent in 2015-16. This has been an ongoing issue for years with boating facilities funds.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:52): I rise to support this motion by the member for Chaffey, which in the first part acknowledges the importance of having safe and adequate boating facilities across South Australia for boat owners and fishers but also condemns the state government for leaving $8.6 million of the boating facilities levy unspent in 2015-16. This has been an ongoing issue for years with boating facilities funds.

 Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading (resumed on motion).

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (20:04): I rise to address the Statutes Amendment (Drink and Drug Driving) Amendment Bill 2017. Just before I make more in depth comments around the bill, it is interesting how far we have come in society with our debate around medicinal cannabis and even industrial hemp. Twenty-five years ago or so I can remember a local lady from Coomandook pushing the idea of a sustainable extra cropping alternative for dryland farmers in industrial hemp. Because of society's views at the time it did not make the grade, yet here we are, 25-odd years later, talking about not just industrial hemp but about medicinal cannabis.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:25): I rise to speak on the Installation of Hybrid Turbines as a Long Term Backup Power Plant, the 575th report of the Public Works Committee. Let's make it perfectly clear that this is not going to be hybrid generation: this is diesel generation, diesel generation that this Labor government have been forced to bring in as an emergency measure because of their failed electricity and power reliability policies for almost 16 years.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:25): I rise to speak on the Installation of Hybrid Turbines as a Long Term Backup Power Plant, the 575th report of the Public Works Committee. Let's make it perfectly clear that this is not going to be hybrid generation: this is diesel generation, diesel generation that this Labor government have been forced to bring in as an emergency measure because of their failed electricity and power reliability policies for almost 16 years.

If elected in March 2018 a Marshall Liberal Government will establish a Regional Roads and Infrastructure Fund (RRIF) by quarantining 30 per cent of mining royalty revenue.

The RRIF will deliver $750 million for critical regional roads and infrastructure upgrades over the next ten years based on current projected royalty revenue.

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading (resumed on motion).

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (20:04): I rise to address the Statutes Amendment (Drink and Drug Driving) Amendment Bill 2017. Just before I make more in depth comments around the bill, it is interesting how far we have come in society with our debate around medicinal cannabis and even industrial hemp. Twenty-five years ago or so I can remember a local lady from Coomandook pushing the idea of a sustainable extra cropping alternative for dryland farmers in industrial hemp. Because of society's views at the time it did not make the grade, yet here we are, 25-odd years later, talking about not just industrial hemp but about medicinal cannabis.

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 27 September 2017.)

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (17:18): I rise to speak to the Statutes Amendment (Explosives) Bill 2017. This bill, which was introduced in September, seeks to amend a couple of acts: the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 and the Summary Offences Act 1953. What it is aiming to do as a bill is to make sure that the penalties for the possession, manufacture and use of explosive devices and related substances, apparatus and instructions are commensurate with the seriousness of the risk posed by the reckless and malicious use of improvised explosive devices.