New lease of life for Member for MacKillop

“I have a new lease on life in this role.” That is the overriding sentiment for Member for MacKillop Nick McBride as he enters his first full year as an independent representative for his electorate.

“It is a different perspective from the same time last year,” Mr McBride said. “I am excited by my move – it is a weight off my shoulders and now I can be a stronger, more effective Member for MacKillop.”

And Mr McBride has strong clear objectives for 2024 as he looks to better represent the needs of his electorate with housing, roads and health topping his priority list.

“To attract greater population, to attract skills into our region we need to tackle housing,” Mr McBride said. “I will be working towards finding solutions for this housing need over the next 12 months.

“We need to find the right model that will address this housing shortage in MacKillop, the Limestone Coast and regional SA.

Roads is another one of those issues that needs immediate attention and while Mr McBride has seen some success with works on Clay Wells Road and the Bordertown/Pinnaroo/Ngarkat Road, there is still some significant and widespread maintenance and upgrading required across the region.

“Our (road) maintenance is well, well behind,” Mr McBride said. “Some roads are 20 years past their use by date.”

Discussions with the RAA, local government and other key stakeholders, including the grain industry has seen a number of roads identified as needing urgent work – the Bordertown to Kybybolite/Frances Road; the road between Bordertown and Kingston; the road between Bordertown and Naracoorte; the Millicent to Mount Gambier section of the Princes Highway; sections of the Southern Ports Highway, more passing lanes on the Riddoch Highway and duplication of more sections of the Dukes Highway.

“I want a plan in place – that all won’t be fixed this year but we need a plan as we work towards the 2026 election,” the Member for MacKillop said.

The ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining medical professionals is on Mr McBride’s radar but the Naracoorte Hospital, despite recent funding injections, needs to be a priority as plans are put in place to make the Naracoorte facility a health precinct for the region.

“Making Naracoorte Hospital a precinct to suit the needs of Naracoorte also means working in collaboration with Bordertown, Kingston, Penola, Millicent and Keith,” he said.

Having been part of a review committee on the issue, coastal erosion and jetties, will also underpin the MacKillop MP’s 2024 as he works with local councils.

“There are beaches disappearing at Robe and Beachport,” he said. “There is a caravan park falling into the sea at Southend and we need to look at our jetties, especially the ones not being used commercially.

“There are huge costs involved in protecting infrastructure on our coastlines. We are capable of using bandaid measures but we need to work out what we can do of substance to protect our coastal towns and all the beauty they encapsulate.

“We need to get the science around it for the next five to 10 to 20, even 50 year projections.”

Education remains at the forefront of Mr McBride’s to-do list with around 34 schools in his electorate ranging from small schools like Kalangadoo to the larger high schools at Millicent, Bordertown, Naracoorte and Penola.

“Infrastructure hasn’t kept pace in our regional areas,” he said. “I will work with principals and the education department to upgrade as much as can be afforded.

“Some bathrooms haven’t been touched since the 1960s; we need classroom upgrades and also make sure the subject choices are there and we can attract teachers. It is all about better learning outcomes.

Childcare needs also fall under that wider education umbrella with Bordertown, Millicent and Naracoorte all at capacity and overflowing.

“That is holding back our workforce and I also believe the faster you engage children with our education system the better the results at the other end of their education.”