It was a decidedly maritime day in Port Lincoln on Australia Day, with the One And All in the bay, a big Princess Cruises ship in port, and the Hecla with its full sail on display on a glorious day!

Today was the sod turning for the new CH4 aquaculture facility at Louth Bay for producing asparagopsis which will be used as a cattle feed additive. An exciting economic opportunity for the Eyre Peninsula!

A spectacular afternoon around the West Coast catching up with community up around Elliston. There’s always so many incredible photo opportunities!
#eyrepeninsula #nofilter

Today was the State Police funeral for Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig, who was killed in the line of duty just over two weeks ago. It was a beautiful service for a man who served his community, including on the Eyre Peninsula, and State for over 30 years, and it was a privilege to be a part of the day. Our police put their lives at risk every day on the job, and it is devastating when such a horrendous incident like this happens.

A special assembly at Cleve Area School this morning to recognise the school year and achievements. It was also a chance to congratulate the graduating Year 12s, with a special thank you from their Reception class buddies! Congratulations especially to Lexi on receiving the Sam Telfer MP Student Award for 2023 for all she’s done in her school community and the community as a whole.

The 114th Cleve Annual Show had something for all ages, from pavilion displays, kids activities, shearing, horses in action, but also a novel fundraiser for Royal Flying Doctor Service, the ’Clawfield Cup’ yabby races. Although Yabbadabbadoo didn’t win it for me, it was great for so many to help raise funds for such an important cause. Well done to the whole Cleve Show team for putting in so much time and effort for our their community to put together a great day. @royalflyingdoc

Great to be out and about in the Cleve District today, especially seeing the latest upgrades at the Arno Bay Boardwalk, a great partnership between community and council to deliver a unique experience in our beautiful environment
@visitclevedistrict

The 112th Cummins Show has been another fantastic day, with fun and activities for all ages. The grounds have been so well prepared, and events run so smoothly, so congratulations to all involved at committee and volunteer level.

Today is the National Day of Police Remembrance, where we honour the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives to keep our communities safe.

Our police officers put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve, and it`s important that we take a moment to remember and appreciate their dedication and selflessness, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of our community.

It was my pleasure as Shadow Police Minister to attend the memorial service at Fort Largs, and lay a wreath in memory of their sacrifice.

#NationalDayOfPoliceRemembrance

The @lga_of_sa Roads and Works conference brings together Council infrastructure staff, CEOs, and Elected members to meet with suppliers, engineers, technical advisors and government and hear about the latest infrastructure opportunities which can be delivered for their communities. The event has been held in Port Lincoln this year, and it was great to be invited as both the local member and the Shadow Minister for Local Government, catching up with many including LGA President Dean Johnson and CEO Clinton Jury.

I’m often asked which Bay the best oysters come from, but that’d be like choosing your favourite child! That being said, it was great to drop in and catch up with Gary and the team at Zippel Oysters and see their impressive operation and the high quality product which they produce in the pristine waters of Smoky Bay. The oyster industry has gone through its fair share of challenges over the last few years, so it’s great to see the industry continue to excel through strong marketing, good genetic management, and sound environmental stewardship. #smokybay #oysters

If you have gyprock walls, there’s a strong chance you could have a little bit of the West Coast nearby! For more than 100 years there has been gypsum mining and export from out near Penong, with more than 2 million tonnes annually being shipped out of SA’s second busiest port at Thevanard. This product is used in a variety of situations, but predominately in the construction industry, with much of it heading to Australia’s east coast. Thanks goes to Leigh from GRA for showing me around the portside operation, and I look forward to checking out the mine site soon. #ceduna #eyrepeninsula

The Ceduna State Emergency Service team covers the second largest land area of any SES team in the State, as well as having a significant marine rescue component as well. They are always looking for more volunteers to join the team to be an active part of the community helping with a wide variety of different emergency situations. In meeting with the team I congratulated Anthony who recently received his 10+ years of service award and special commendation for his role in the 2022 Far North flooding event, as well as Bev who has been volunteering for over 40 years! A great team doing very important work in our community, so consider being a part yourself! #ceduna #eyrepeninsula

A beautiful day at Streaky Bay catching up with community members across town, and hearing from the District Council of Streaky Bay Mayor and CEO about the latest happenings within the town and the district. @streakybay.visitorcentre #streakybay #eyrepeninsula

Another day in the Southern Flinders, meeting with councils and community, including seeing Mayor Sue Scarman and CEO Kelly Westell at Northern Areas Council on the latest within their district, including road and bridge infrastructure funding, strategic planning, and advocating for adequate state government services within the region. I also enjoyed grabbing some Giant Twins at Laura, the home of Golden North, and making my way up The Bluff, a fantastic infrastructure initiative delivered by the former Liberal government near Wirrabara.

As Shadow Local Government Minister, it is important that I am meeting with councils and communities around the State to hear directly about what is happening on the ground. On my tour through the Mid-North today I met with the longest serving current Mayor, Ruth Whittle from District Council of Peterborough who has been Mayor since 1991, and the newest Mayor, Grant Chapman from District Council of Orroroo Carrieton, who became Mayor only yesterday, taking over from Kathie Bowman who has stepped aside after serving in the role for a long time. Along with their CEOs, we spoke about subjects including local government financial management, childcare in regional areas, and the need for metropolitan decision makers to appropriately understand the challenges in regional SA!