Communique June 2012 - Port Pirie Regional Council - SA.Gov.au

Central Local Government Region of Councils
Minutes of the General Meeting held on Friday 11 th May 2012, commencing 10.00am
at the Ardrossan Sports and Community Club, Ardrossan
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1. Meeting Preliminaries
1.1 Present
• Mayor Ray Agnew (Yorke Peninsula) – Chair; Mayor Paul Thomas (Copper Coast); Mayor
Dean Dolling (Barunga West); Cr Darryl Ottens (Wakefield); Mayor Allan Aughey (Clare
& Gilbert Valleys); Mayor Peter Slattery (Flinders Ranges); Mayor Peter Mattey
(Goyder); Cr Deane Rohrlach (Light); Chair Colin Parkyn (Orroroo Carrieton); Mayor
Sandra Wauchope (Mt Remarkable); Chair Ben Browne (Northern Areas); Dr Andrew
Johnson (Pirie); Mr Peter Sellar (Mallala); Ms Jo Thomas (Barossa).
1.2 In Attendance
• Mr Colin Davies (Flinders Ranges); Ms June Austin (Light); Mr Geoff Sheridan
(Wakefield); Mr Nigel Hand (Barunga West); Mr Roger Crowley (Northern Areas); Mr
John Brak, Cr Judy Partington and Cr Jane Kellock (Goyder); Mr Sean Cheriton and Cr
Ray Walker (Mt Remarkable); Mr Iian Wilson (Orroroo Carrieton); Mr Peter Harder
(Copper Coast); Mr Andrew Cameron (Yorke Peninsula) – arrived 12.15pm. Ms Anita
Crisp (Executive Officer).
1.3 Guests
• Hon Russell Wortley, MLC (Minister for State/Local Government Relations); Mr Chris
Russell (LGA SA); Mr Mick Petrovski and Ms Alex Hart (Office for State/Local
Government Relations); Ms Andrea Jorgensen and Mr Ben Murphy (Dept Planning,
Transport and Infrastructure); Mr Jason Gillich and Ms Meagan Hackett (Minister
Wortleys Office); Mr Geoff Brock (State Member for Frome); Mr Rodney Button (Murray
Darling Association Region 8); Ms Lynne Walden (N&Y NRM Board), Ms Kay Matthias
and Ms Kelly-Anne Saffin (Y&MN RDA) – arrived 11.00am.
1.4 Apologies
• Mayor James Maitland; Mayor Marcus Strudwicke (Mallala); Mayor Brian Hurn
(Barossa); Cr Neville Wilson (Port Pirie); Mr Steven Griffiths (State Member for
Goyder); Mr Roy Blight (Clare & Gilbert Valleys); Mr Charles Mansueto (Mallala).
1.5 Welcome to the District Council of Yorke Peninsula
• Mayor Ray Agnew welcomed delegates to the meeting.
• Noted that Primary production continues to be Yorke Peninsula's largest industry,
producing 25% of the state’s grain resource including pulses, legumes and hay.
Tourism and mineral mining initiatives are growing at a large rate.
• Increased interest in mining across the Yorke Peninsula region, with several companies
undertaking preliminary drilling. Rex Minerals are the most advanced exploration
company and are into the pre-feasibility stage of their development.
• Significant Wind Farm project proposed between Curramulka and Ardrossan, with up to
180 turbines.
• A number of smaller economic opportunities within the area such as aquaculture and
fibreglass manufacturing.
• Council has been working closely with the Government and community on the proposed
Marine Parks and has established a Marine Parks Reference Group.
• Draft maps on the proposed Marine Parks recently released, with revised sanctuary
zones well received by the majority of the community.
• Growing freight movement within the Yorke Peninsula including: 4,000 tonnes/week of
salt by road and up to 60,000 tonnes annually freighted to Ardrossan for shipping
export; sandmining estimated at 3,300 tonnes per day, amounting to over a million
tonnes per annum; 70,000 – 100,000 tonnes per year across of blue metal from
Curramulka;
• Noted Port Giles can accommodate a fully loaded Panamax vessel up to 84,000 tonnes,
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