Our Achievements

As South Australia's Minister for Environment and Water between 2018 and 2022, David set out to leave a legacy of reform and practical outcomes. He set out to move the dial in a positive direction when it comes to conservation and environmental sustainability, setting up a range of new, modern structures to achieve this and creating as many opportunities as possible for South Australians to sensitively experience and enjoy the natural world

Creating Glenthorne National Park

Creating Glenthorne National Park

The 2018/19 budget pledged $10 million for the creation of Glenthorne National Park.

Milestones

  1. Completed: $12.5m funded so far
  2. Completed: First public open days during April and October 2019 saw in excess of 6,300 people attend
  3. Completed: Land transfer of the Glenthorne Farm to the South Australian government from the University of Adelaide finalised - November 2019
  4. Completed: Glenthorne Masterplan completed
  5. Completed: Demolition of redundant buildings and on-site clean up completed - July 2020
  6. Completed: First public access available - August 2020
  7. Completed: Proclaimed as a National Park – October 2020
  8. Completed: More than 90,000 plants in the ground as part of ongoing efforts to revegetate the site
  9. Completed: Heritage restoration works underway
  10. Completed: Soccer pitches completed for The Cove FC early 2022
  11. Completed: $2m Nature Play playground (SA’s largest Nature Play space) – on track for completion Spring 2022
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Opening our reservoirs for recreation

Opening our reservoirs for recreation

We committed to progressively opening a range of reservoirs in both Adelaide and in regional South Australia, while carefully managing water quality.

We started first with low impact activities such as walking and cycling trails, and have scaled up to fishing and water access at some reservoirs in consultation with communities.

Nine are now open and each offer different activities. Land access and shore-based fishing at Myponga Reservoir is now available. Bundaleer, Warren, and South Para Reservoirs have also been successfully opened for recreational access including walking, cycling, picnicking, fishing and kayaking.

Milestones

  1. Completed: $5m fully funded in the 2018/19 budget to open reservoirs across South Australia
  2. Completed: Myponga Reservoir opened (land access) - April 2019
  3. Completed: South Para Reservoir opened - December 2019
  4. Completed: Hope Valley Reservoir opened - December 2020
  5. Completed: New trails and increased access to water's edge for fishing at Myponga Reservoir - January 2021
  6. Completed: On-water access available at Myponga Reservoir - April 2021
  7. Completed: 250,000 visitors – August 2021
  8. Completed: Little Para Reservoir opening – Spring 2021
  9. Completed: Happy Valley Reservoir opening - December 2021
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Leading the nation in waste management

Leading the nation in waste management

In 2018, the Marshall Liberal Government injected $12.4 million into South Australia’s waste management sector in response to the industry’s concerns with the impact of the China Sword Policy.

In 2021, the state and federal governments partnered to fund 8 recycling infrastructure projects (worth $111 million) in SA.

Milestones

  1. Completed: More than 200 jobs created
  2. Completed: Which Bin education package rolled out across the state
  3. Completed: Phasing out single-use plastics - Bill passed Parliament September 2020, and ban commenced March 2021
  4. Completed: Record recycling infrastructure funding invested by the Marshall Liberal state government, industry and the Morrison Coalition federal government
  5. Completed: Launch discussion paper for modernising the state’s Container Deposit Scheme
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Single-use plastic ban

Single-use plastic ban

South Australia became the first jurisdiction in the country to ban the sale, supply and distribution of single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery.


Milestones

  1. Completed: Discussion paper released for public consultation
  2. Completed: Community-led Taskforce established
  3. Completed: Turning the Tide on Single Use Plastics: The Next Steps (discussion paper) - released 2019
  4. Completed: Legislation introduced into Parliament - April 2020
  5. Completed: A ban on a range of single-use plastics passes both Houses of Parliament - September 2020
  6. Completed: Plastic straws, cutlery and drink stirrers banned from 1 March 2021
  7. Completed: Discussion paper detailing next round of products to be included in the ban released - late 2021
  8. Completed: Expanded polystyrene cups, bowls plates and clamshell containers banned from 1 March 2022
Protecting our precious coastline

Protecting our precious coastline

Our election commitment pledged $5.2 million towards innovative approaches to coastal projects. This included one of Australia’s biggest seagrass restoration projects, the creation of a shellfish reef off metropolitan Adelaide’s coast, funds for important research and development and investment in wetlands to reduce land-based run-off.

Milestones

  1. Completed: $1 million seagrass restoration project commenced in partnership with South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
  2. Completed: $1.2 million provided to Australian Nature Conservancy to create a shellfish reef
  3. Completed: Applications for research and development grants opened
  4. Completed: Blue carbon strategy developed and released
  5. Completed: $4 million over four years in regional coast protection grants announced
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Restoring West Beach and Henley Beach South

Restoring West Beach and Henley Beach South

In the 2019/20 State Budget, $48.5 million was provided over four years to undertake a major restoration project to create new resilience along the beaches and coastline in Adelaide’s western suburbs. This project, focused on climate resilience, will involve a mass sand replenishment and the development of an innovative sand pumping pipeline to recycle sand from north to south along the city’s coastline (replicating the system already in place between Glenelg and Kingston Park).

Milestones

  1. Completed: $48.5m fully funded in the 2019/20 state budget
  2. Completed: Large scale external source beach replenishment program commenced in 2020
  3. Completed: First delivery of externally sourced sand – August 2021
  4. Completed: Increased beach replenishment at West Beach and Henley Beach South commenced 2020/21
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Hallett Cove ocean pool feasibility study

Hallett Cove ocean pool feasibility study

Provided matched funding of $25,000 along with the City of Marion to consider the feasibility of an ocean pool in Hallett Cove.

The state government will now work alongside the council and the community to understand the financial viability of this concept and whether or not it has broad community support.

More to come...

Milestones

  1. Completed: Feasibility study
  2. Completed: Commenced community engagement
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Reforming the way we manage our natural resources

Reforming the way we manage our natural resources

A major legislative change, giving communities more influence over how our privately owned environment is managed, will see a new body called Landscape SA replacing old Natural Resource Management (NRM) Boards.

NRM Boards have been replaced by eight new regional Landscape Boards, and a new metropolitan Landscape Board, called Green Adelaide.

Landscape SA will have an emphasis on decentralised decision making and a back-to-basics approach focused on the effective management of water resources, soil quality, pest plant and animal control and strategies to enhance biodiversity at a landscape scale.


Milestones

  1. Completed: Over 1,000 people engaged in consultations around new legislation
  2. Completed: Natural Resources Management Act 2004 repealed
  3. Completed: Landscape SA Bill introduced to SA Parliament and debated
  4. Completed: Landscape SA Act 2019 passed through both Houses of Parliament
  5. Completed: Legislated a new Grassroots Grants funding program to enable on-ground, back-to-basics environmental projects throughout the entirety of the state
  6. Completed: Launch of the Landscape Priorities Fund: $4.2m between 9 projects to address priority landscape management issues
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Creating Green Adelaide

Creating Green Adelaide

Establishing Green Adelaide was an election commitment of the Marshall Liberal Government. We wanted to create a body which would have a powerful focus on taking Adelaide’s natural environment from good to great, and building on our enviable liveability status which has received international recognition in recent times.

Our goals are ambitious, but with the right resourcing, smart partnerships and environmental innovation, they are more than doable. Local councils and not-for-profits have a critical role in project delivery and are our key partners. We will respect their insight and priorities, and partner with them to deliver great environmental outcomes.

The Green Adelaide area spans from the hills to the sea, encompassing 17 metropolitan council areas and about 1.3 million South Australians.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Green Adelaide formed to work towards a vision of a cooler, greener, wilder and climate-resilient metropolitan South Australia
  2. Completed: Establish a series of grant programs to enable councils to green their neighbourhoods
  3. Completed: Fund 9 projects in 2020/21 for metropolitan councils to plant 4,200 trees
  4. Completed: Award grant funding of up to $2m in 2021/22 to councils to green their neighbourhoods (applications currently being considered)
  5. Completed: Adelaide awarded National Park City status
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Bushfire recovery

Bushfire recovery

The state government is providing extra support for wildlife recovery after the devastating bushfires in the Adelaide Hills and on Kangaroo Island.


Milestones

  1. Completed: $50,000 immediately made available for wildlife recovery centres to continue their work
  2. Completed: Wildlife Recovery Fund launched in collaboration with Nature Foundation SA to re-establish habitat for wildlife
  3. Completed: 28 koalas relocated from Kangaroo Island to Cleland Wildlife Park to establish disease-free insurance population
  4. Completed: Land-based and aerial food drops for wildlife on Kangaroo Island
  5. Completed: Grants from the Wildlife Recovery Fund totalling approximately $450,000 awarded to 20 recipients to assist with on-ground environmental recovery projects following the 2019/2020 bushfires
  6. Completed: Grant of $50,000 distributed for environmental recovery in Scott Creek Conservation Park following 2021 bushfire
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Nature-based tourism opportunities

Nature-based tourism opportunities

The government is seeking to enhance our eco-sensitive tourism options to bring in more visitors and help enhance and protect our natural environment.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Heritage Tourism Strategy launched June 2021
  2. Completed: Allocation of $250,000 to support Heritage Tourism Grants in 2021/22
  3. Completed: $5m Nature-Based Tourism co-investment fund announced and open for applications
  4. Completed: First successful applicants announced
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Heritage Grants Program

Heritage Grants Program

Since 2018, the Marshall Liberal Government has delivered grant funding of $750,000 which has facilitated significant private investment in the preservation of heritage places, to the value of $5.65 million. Through this investment, the government is helping to enable projects that conserve or protect significant fabric or values of heritage places.


Milestones

  1. Completed: Round one allocated in May 2019 - nearly $250,000 of funding provided to 27 projects for State Heritage Places across SA
  2. Completed: Round two allocated in November 2019 - $250,000 of funding provided to 25 projects for State Heritage Places across SA
  3. Completed: Round three allocated in May 2020 - $250,000 of funding provided to 21 projects for State Heritage Places across SA
  4. Completed: Additional $1.5m secured in the 2021/22 State Budget for continuation of the Heritage Grants Program in the coming years
Increasing the number of park rangers

Increasing the number of park rangers

We’ve committed to bringing 20 new park rangers on board. We've already exceeded that commitment and we're going to continue to increase the number!

Milestones

  1. Completed: Increase in total number of rangers from 93 to 138 – 45% increase
  2. Completed: Volunteer Ranger service launched across regional and metropolitan parks
  3. Completed: Celebrated the 100th volunteer ranger – October 2020
Greener Neighbourhoods

Greener Neighbourhoods

The South Australian Government is providing up to $2 million in funding over four years to support councils to keep Adelaide’s suburban streets green and cool.


Milestones

  1. Completed: Establish a series of grant programs to enable councils to green their neighbourhoods
  2. Completed: Fund 9 projects in 2020/21 for metropolitan councils to plant 4,200 trees
  3. Completed: Award grant funding of up to $2m in 2021/22 to councils to green their neighbourhoods (applications currently being considered)
  4. Completed: Secured $5.5m for an expanded Greener Neighbourhoods program in the 2021/22 Budget
Protecting the River Murray, Coorong and Lower Lakes

Protecting the River Murray, Coorong and Lower Lakes

Since coming into government, we have worked hard to improve the health of the River Murray, Coorong and Lower lakes.

Over $100 million has been secured for projects to improve river and wetland health and to support native fish in environmentally important sites in South Australian Riverland.

For example, Project Coorong is a $70 million investment into action to restore the health, vitality and visitor experience of this precious place through environmental projects to get the Coorong back on track and initiatives to boost eco-tourism, focusing on the Coorong National Park.

Sustaining Riverland Environments Program is a $37.6 million investment in practical projects to improve river and wetland health and support native fish in environmentally important sites in South Australian Riverland.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Project Coorong - $70 million funding announced in 2019
  2. Completed: Project Coorong - Coorong Partnership announced in 2019
  3. Completed: Project Coorong - Phase 1 funding secured in 2020
  4. Completed: Sustaining Riverland Environments Program - $37.6m funding announced in September 2020
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Our changing climate

Our changing climate

Work on climate change measures is being progressed by the Premier's Climate Change Council.

Read more.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Launched directions for a Climate Smart SA in December 2019
  2. Completed: Released the Blue Carbon Strategy in July 2019
  3. Completed: Developed and launched a cross-government Climate Change Action plan in December 2020
  4. Completed: Released the Climate Science and Knowledge Plan for SA in September 2020
Retaining shacks

Retaining shacks

The Marshall Liberal Government is committed to creating new opportunities for families to retain shacks on Crown land and in national parks by expanding the eligibility to maintain a lease in return for upgrading the shack to meet contemporary safety, amenity and environmental standards.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Retaining Shacks Project commenced - April 2018
  2. Completed: Amendments to the Crown Land Management Act 2009 passed Parliament - December 2019
  3. Completed: Amendments to the relevant park management plans adopted 2020
  4. Completed: Invitations sent to shack lessees inviting them to express their interest in applying for longer tenure for their shack site - February 2020
  5. Completed: New leases sent to shack lessees on Crown land – July 2021
  6. Completed: New leases begin being sent to shack lessees in national parks
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Cove Sports and Community Club

Cove Sports and Community Club

Pledging $80,000 for kitchen upgrades.

Milestones

  1. Completed: $80,000 funding pledged
Hallett Cove Scout Group

Hallett Cove Scout Group

$20,000 for installation of new climbing wall

Milestones

  1. Completed: New climbing wall completed
Our Surf Lifesaving Clubs

Our Surf Lifesaving Clubs

Total $190,000 funding committed for shark spotting drones

Milestones

  1. Completed: $190,000 for shark-spotting drones
Beach for All program

Beach for All program

Milestones

  1. Completed: Beach for All program launched with prototype mat January 2016
  2. Completed: New mobi mat from Push Mobility installed at Seacliff Beach 2022
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Reactivating the Repat

Reactivating the Repat

The Marshall Liberal government has made a pledge to reopen and revitalise the Repatriation Hospital, with total investment in the project from both the State and Federal Governments nearly $110 million.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Repat hydrotherapy pool re-opened and 20 new beds available
  2. Completed: Repat concept master plan released
  3. Completed: $70 million funding agreement between state and federal government announced
  4. Completed: Construction started on Repat upgrade
  5. Completed: New 78 bed Dementia Care Facility announced
  6. Completed: An extra $30 million in funding committed
Southern Expressway safety screens

Southern Expressway safety screens

Nearly $15,000 committed to install safety screens along the Southern Expressway

Milestones

  1. Completed: Safety screens installed
Marino Community Hall Association

Marino Community Hall Association

$50,000 made available for general hall upgrades

Milestones

  1. Completed: $50,000 made available for general hall upgrades
Woodend Primary School parking and pathway

Woodend Primary School parking and pathway

Pledged up to $250,000 to create a shared use pathway through the western streets of Sheidow Park, developing a safe walking/scooting/riding pathway to and from Woodend Primary School. Additionally, funding pledged to expand the kiss and drop zone on Edward Beck Drive adjacent the school.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Kiss and drop zone expansion completed August 2019
  2. Completed: Pathway completed November 2019
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Sheidow Park Primary School parking

Sheidow Park Primary School parking

Pledged funding to expand parking on Adams Road, Sheidow Park, to enable more vehicles to safely arrive and depart school at drop off and pick up times.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Works completed October 2019
Hallett Cove R-12 School kiss and drop zone

Hallett Cove R-12 School kiss and drop zone

Pledged up to $250,000 to expand the kiss and drop zone at Hallett Cove R-12 School, creating more capacity and making it safer for parents and children travelling to and from school.

Milestones

  1. Completed: Planning and design works completed
  2. Completed: Works commenced December 2019
  3. Completed: Works completed January 2020
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Candy/Lander/Main South Road Intersection

Candy/Lander/Main South Road Intersection

$5.2 million was pledged for the upgrading of the Candy/Lander/Main South Road Intersection

Milestones

  1. Completed: $5.2 million available for upgrades
  2. Completed: Planning and design works completed
  3. Completed: Construction works commenced November 2019
International BMX facility, Majors Road

International BMX facility, Majors Road

Create an international-standard BMX facility in the Glenthorne National Park precinct on Majors Road, O’Halloran Hill, to replace existing facilities at Hallett Cove and Happy Valley.

Milestones

  1. Completed: $1.3m pledged
  2. Completed: Planning and design works completed
  3. Completed: Construction commenced June 2021
  4. Completed: Completed January 2022
Oaklands Crossing

Oaklands Crossing

A commitment to create grade separation, construction of new station and parking for Oaklands Crossing

Milestones

  1. Completed: Grade separation completed
  2. In progress: New station
  3. In progress: New parking