By Raquel Mustillo
THE State Opposition will release a Mount Gambier-specific pre-election policy document ahead of March 2022, Labor leader Peter Malinauskas has revealed.
Mr Malinauskas said the party would release a number of policies aimed at addressing needs and priorities in the Limestone Coast “well and truly” before next year’s poll.
The pledge follows the release of Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell’s $85m four-year strategic plan outlining a list of funding priorities across several sectors, including housing, tourism, waste and recycling and additional mental health services.
At Mr Bell’s official Future Mount Gambier launch, Mr Malinauskas acknowledged the Future Mount Gambier document, telling attendees the party “will be learning from [Mr Bell’s]”.
“I think that policymakers in Adelaide, including from my own side of politics and the current government, consistently make the mistake of looking at our regions through a broader prism rather than a specific one,” he said.
“In Mount Gambier, there has never been the big call on the State Government, there has never been the immediate economic crisis… you just get on and do it on your own.
“In the South East and Mount Gambier, that has been to this community’s detriment.”
Mr Bell welcomed Labor using the draft document as a blueprint, saying a bipartisan approach was required to secure the funding outlined in the plan.
“It will be a political document don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want it to be policitised,” he said.
“I want Labor to rip five or six things out of it and I want the Liberals to rip five or six things out of it.
“That is the intent and that’s how we have in the past got things like the $2m for renal dialysis and PATS funding.
“I want to make sure that every Treasurer going forward, whenever they release a state budget, know if they try and dish up the rubbish like this year’s budget, you’re not going to have just Troy Bell demanding more, you’re going to have the entire community demanding much more of the pie.”
Mr Bell said the ambitious Mount Gambier plan, which aims to secure $20m investment for the forestry industry, $10m for housing and the establishment of a $10m sports fund to help clubs upgrade ageing infrastructure, had yet to be finalised.
He said constituent feedback included greater emphasis on health, specifically allied health support, paediatric services and palliative care to be included in the plan.
“Future Mount Gambier is just a starting point… it might look like a glossy, well-presented document, but it’s just the start,” Mr Bell said.
“I’ve had some feedback including don’t commercialise the Valley and Blue Lake precinct because it’s a place where there’s no pressure to spend money, I’ve overlooked health and what we need for health, but that will be addressed.
“Palliative care has certainly popped up and I would like to see some extra funding heading towards our palliative care sector.
“The feedback has been good, I need more feedback and people to indicate things that have been missed in here.
“I’m hoping in another three or four months that it will be finished and we can go to both major parties, plus SA Best, plus the Greens and say ‘this is a plan that is endorsed by this community and if you’re serious about the seat of Mount Gambier, you’d want to be taking some of this and take it into your own plan’.”
Mr Malinauskas was one of around 90 invited guests at last week’s launch, which included City Council mayor Lynette Martin, Grant mayor Richard Sage, local government representatives, and community and business leaders.
Mr Bell told the crowd Premier Steven Marshall, MacKillop MP Nick McBride and SA Best parliamentarian Frank Pangallo were invited to the launch, but were unable to attend due to prior commitments.
A State Government spokesperson said Mr Marshall and his Liberal colleagues were in the Upper Spencer Gulf region last weekend, but “will be in Mount Gambier again soon”.
