The Auditor General’s annual report has revealed that South Australia’s unsealed road maintenance backlog has more than doubled over the past few years from 500km to a whopping 1230km.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Regional Roads. Is the government investigating the South-East links road duplication project and, if so, what is the status of that investigation?

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:46): I rise to support the original motion by the member for Bragg in support of Cleland National Park, and national parks in general in South Australia, by noting:

That this house—

(a) acknowledges that 25 November 2023 is the two-year anniversary of Cleland National Park becoming a national park;

(b) recognises the environmental, cultural and social value of South Australia's national parks; and

(c) commends the Marshall Liberal government for its record expansion of national parks in South Australia underpinned by record investment.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Regional Roads. What does the Minister for Regional Roads have to say to regular users of Victor Harbor Road? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Gagged firefighting volunteers will have the freedom and safety to speak freely and testify before a new Select Committee investigating the Country Fire Service.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:57): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Is the minister aware of any active members of the Kangaroo Island CFS—

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PEDERICK: I will start again—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PEDERICK: Is the minister aware of any active members of the Kangaroo Island CFS being banned from attending a meeting with him in coming days? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:45): I rise to speak on the final report of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee. Indeed, as the member for Heysen has outlined, it is a sad day because it essentially signals the absolute end of that committee, which was wound up earlier this year. I served on the committee previously and got around the state—the little bit of travel that I did. I wish I had the opportunity to do more, and it would have been more if the committee had still been in place. We visited Ceduna, Yalata, Koonibba and all around the West Coast and obviously had hearings with people there. We had some informal and formal meetings and also had many formal meetings here in Adelaide hearing evidence around the various subjects of the committee.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (21:33): I rise to speak to the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy (Energy Resources) Amendment Bill 2023 and acknowledge the work of the member for Morphett in regard to the bill. I note that the proposed amendments will maintain this act as leading practice for regulating upstream petroleum, carbon capture and storage and geothermal activities in South Australia. The amendments also look to introduce a new provision to extend the scope of the act to include the generation of hydrogen from means not ordinarily permissible under the existing act—for example, with renewable energy.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:21): I rise today to speak about the Country Fire Service. I am a very proud volunteer of the Country Fire Service, along with 13,000 others. There are problems that have arisen, and a lot of people have not come forward because they have been intimidated and they have been gagged, and it is a real concern for the fire season coming up. We are being told that it is going to be one of the worst fire seasons we have seen, with the growth of feed and pastures and the amount of crop out there this year.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. How many CFS employees and volunteers are currently suspended with or without pay from the organisation? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.