The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (15:23): It gives me great pleasure to get up on this side of the house to speak about one of life's luxuries; that is, to get back to the home electorate of Chaffey to experience some of the great attributes the electorate presents and also, obviously, some of the homecoming.
Taking up this responsibility now as the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, I have to be much better at managing my time, and I have to be much better at attending functions and making sure that the people of Chaffey understand my roles and responsibility. It was great. After 17 March, the whirlwind has continued. After my swearing in on 22 March, it was great to get back home and experience some Chaffey hospitality.
Sadly, on arrival back home, I heard that Brian Western—a great statesman of the Riverland and one of the pioneers in table grapes—had passed away only a few days after being one of my supporters at a polling booth on election day. He left Mary, his wife, and his family in great spirit. He left a legacy of humility and also one of pioneering, the days of bringing table grapes to South Australia on trellis, making sure that they were one of the great export commodities out of the Riverland in the early days.
I attended RSL ANZAC Day events and dinners. My ANZAC Day calendar was heavily booked, attending a dawn service at Loxton and then moving along to Waikerie for the morning service. It was great to see the march at Waikerie from the town roundabout up to the memorial gardens. From there, I moved to Renmark to attend the mid-morning ceremony, which is being attended by an increasing number of young people.
It is really important that we as a generation in this place continue to promote ANZAC Day and the ANZACs for what we now take as life's luxuries—democracy, independence and freedom, which every Australian should cherish. I commend all those younger Australians who attended ANZAC Day ceremonies, whether it be a dawn service or throughout the day, or whether it be some form of celebration at an RSL, watching the older generation, those who served, playing two-up or having a beer and a sausage in bread. It was a great experience.
Nothing compares to getting down to Caudo Vineyards, in the south of my electorate, to experience True Grit, the military style course, and to see fit South Australians—the body beautiful—getting themselves up to their neck in mud and making sure that they compete at a high level on that military course. Thank you to the Caudo family, who present this great event annually in the Riverland. The organisers of the True Grit event tried having a night event; however, it was not successful, but the daytime event has been an extreme success.
For those who have not been to the Caudo Vineyard, get along there because not only is it a great place to visit on the river, with the cellar door and the great hospitality of the Caudo family—and they are leaders in winemaking and exporting—but it is a great product and a great experience. It is a destination where I think every South Australian and every Australian should understand the beauty the River Murray presents.
Market days at Angove's are always a great event to go along to. I am sure that everyone knows of the great Angove family winemakers in the Riverland and the pioneers of St Agnes Brandy. They are now located in McLaren Vale, making world-class wine. We need to remember, too, that the Riverland was once upon a time a bulk wine region. That is now not the case. They are making magnificent alternative wine varieties. I commend the Angove family for their pioneering work.
I also attended the Cordola, a day on the farm, at Morgan. It was great to see the Morgan community supporting the Morgan community. It was a great day at that farm, which is a mixed wine grape and citrus property, with all the locals there supporting a great need. It was also great to see the Morgan Meals on Wheels meeting in Adelaide to raise money for the camel lifter.
