As the Member for Hammond, I wish to advise all sports and active recreation clubs that Round 39 of the Active Club Program has opened and encourage you to consider applying for the grants available under the Program.

The Active Club Program provides financial assistance to sport and active recreation organisations to strengthen and sustain these important community organisations.

The State Liberals will protect South Australian pensioners from yet another cash grab by the Weatherill Government.

“The Weatherill Government is planning to abolish the pensioner concession on local government rates costing 160,000 South Australian pensioners up to $190 a year in additional rates,” said Liberal Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick.

Australian Saltworks facilites located at Mulgundawa and Thomas Foods International are recipients of grants to expand their facilities.

“Australian Saltworks are planning to upgrade it’s facilities with the assistance of the grant, which will in turn create new jobs and increase their capacity”, said Mr Pederick.

The State Liberals have committed to reversing the Weatherill Government’s savage increases to the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) if elected to government in 2018.

The Weatherill Labor Government’s massive increases to the ESL tax has hit homeowners, farmers, businesses, sporting clubs, community organisations, churches and independent schools.

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 12:34 ): I want to speak to the motion:

That this house—

1. Recognises and congratulates the Port Pirie smelter on achieving its 125th anniversary of operation;

2. Recognises the significant contribution that this facility has made—

(a) towards the provision of materials for the Allies during World War II;

(b) to the economic and financial security of the Port Pirie community and the surrounding regions; and

(c) to the benefit of South Australia as a whole.

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 15:40 ): My question is to the Minister for Transport. Is the government going to allow recreational boating access whilst the Murray Mouth is being dredged?

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 15:10 ): I rise today to speak about Ms Annette Gilbert, a constituent of mine who lives on crown land just outside of Murray Bridge. Annette is a 63-year-old lady who is on a disability pension. In 2009, she was granted permission to occupy the property by ForestrySA, because at that time the land was under the control of PIRSA. At the time, the property was considered derelict and the department was not interested in maintaining it, so Annette was informed that there would be no fees as the fees would be waived. In fact, I note that ForestrySA staff identified that they were surprised that someone wanted to live in the house, and even assisted in changing locks and the pulling up of old carpets.

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 11:48 ): I rise to speak to the motion that the report of the Social Development Committee, entitled Review of the Statutes Amendment (Recidivist Young Offenders and Youth Parole Board) Act 2009, be noted. The committee commenced this inquiry in August and we received a total of seven submissions, with SAPOL presenting verbal evidence. Hearings were concluded on 13 October 2014.

Adrian Pederick MP, member for Hammond, was on hand at the Premier’s Reading Challenge award ceremony at the Adelaide Zoo on Friday 21 November.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge continues to be popular with students and their parents, with more students than ever picking up books to get involved.

The Weatherill Labor Government is the only state that has failed to negotiate a Project Agreement through the Federal Government’s Murray Darling Basin Economic Diversification Program, despite funding being announced in August 2013.

In Parliament this week, Liberal Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick, questioned the Weatherill Labor Government on when it would sign off on the 21 projects nominated for the Murray-Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Program.