REGION IMPRESSES GAGO

REGION IMPRESSES GAGO By Ben Brennan

The Head of Murray Bridge’s biggest business and employer has thanked a State Government Minister for taking the time to visit last week.
Regional Development Minister Gail Gago was in town last Wednesday to meet with managers at T&R Pastoral while also taking the time to visit the site of the Gifford Hill development.
T&R chief executive officer Darren Thomas told Ms Gago of the history of the business, which employs more than 1000 people in Murray Bridge, its core business operations and its hopes and needs for the future.
Mr Thomas outlined concerns from the impact of payroll tax to the constant need for more workers at the business and the positive effect of 457 Visa workers on the company and the community.
Ms Gago praised T&R for its resilience through the recent global financial crisis and the Queensland floods as well as its commitment to employ and train South Australian workers.
She used the visit to tour the construction sites of a new multi-million dollar waste-water treatment plant at T&R.
Ms Gago said the works were a prime example of the way the Government’s Regional Development Infrastructure Fund Grants (RDIF) – of which T&R was a recipient – could be put to work.
“The RDIF helps to increase the prosperity of regional communities by facilitating infrastructure that supports sustainable economic development,” she said.
“The fund aims to encourage a strategic approach to regional infrastructure development.”
She said T&R’s water treatment and energy efficiency measures were good examples of this.

WASTEWATER PLAN APPROVED BY COUNCIL

A major Murray Bridge employer says a newly approved waste management system will secure its place in the city for the next quarter of a century.
The Murray Bridge council’s Development Assessment Panel on Wednesday unanimously granted planning consent for T&R Pastoral to construct an onsite wastewater treatment at its Nilpena Road abattoir, much to the delight of the meat processing company.
The company, which employs more than 1000 people,  plans to construct a 60 mega litre covered lagoon at the abattoir, linked to two 16ML aeration lagoons, a 104ML detention pond and a 260ML storage pond at the Pahl Farm near Mannum Road.
Work is already underway at Pahl Farm and T&R Pastoral group operations manager Dave McKay said he expected work to begin at the abattoir within the next four to six weeks, pending any appeals against the planning consent.
“This is a great decision and a great project to secure employment and growth over the next 25 years,” Mr McKay said.
“T&R appreciate the opportunity to work with the Environmental Protection Authority, council and local residents in an effort to set a new standard for environmental performance and we look forward to commissioning a best practice system.”

View next article - T&R in the latest Edition of the Adelaide Hills Magazine