Senator The Hon Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water
Clare Scriven MLC, South Australian Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development
The Albanese and Malinauskas Governments are supporting River Murray growers and producers, helping deliver important projects that will see the region thrive into the future.
Under a joint agreement with the Malinauskas Government, the Albanese Government is investing $12.7 million to support regional jobs and industries in South Australia's River Murray communities, as part of Round 1 of the Sustainable Communities Program.
The program will fund a range of community-led projects across Riverland, Murraylands and other River Murray towns, including $3.5 million to a range of investment-ready projects and feasibility studies that will benefit primary producers:
- More than $640,000 will be invested to assist iconic South Australian business Nippy's deliver a new fruit grading line at its Waikerie facility, protecting more than 100 local jobs, creating new employment opportunities, and higher returns for local producers.
The project will significantly improve the accuracy and consistency of fruit grading at the company's Waikerie facility, doubling the capacity of the existing grading line.
- A further $1.7 million will be invested into critical environmental, structural and water efficiency infrastructure upgrades delivered through the second stage of the Venus Citrus Loxton Redevelopment project.
Led by third-generation family business Venus Citrus, these upgrades will support more than 60 Riverland growers, provide local jobs and regional export resilience, and reduce operating costs and potable water use.
- Nearly $975,000 will be invested into a new food-grade olive oil processing plant facility and bottling line in Renmark, a project led by Culgoa Vineyards that will assist Riverland producers to diversify through transitioning to a crop that offers high returns, requires less water-use, and lower emissions.
Community- and industry-led commercial feasibility studies will also be part-funded through the Sustainable Communities Program, delivering critical financing to support planning for future projects that have been identified as having the potential to deliver significant positive impacts for River Murray communities and industries:
- The Riverland Winegrape Growers Association will inquire into the feasibility of deploying AI-supported bioleaching technology to safely remediate CCA treated vineyard posts in the region.
- Another wine industry-led study by Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine will seek to identify less water-intensive crops for local grape growers to potentially transition towards.
- A feasibility study by Regional Development Australia (RDA) Murraylands and Riverland will investigate the potential establishment of a Riverland Advanced Food Transformation Hub - a dynamic processing centre which would aim to help growers diversify their incomes, reduce waste and build water and biosecurity resilience.
Additional projects will be announced soon.
Investment-ready projects (Primary industries)
| Project title | Recipient | SCP funding |
| Fruit Grading Plant Replacement Project |
Nippy's Waikerie Producers |
$640,000 |
| Venus Citrus Loxton Redevelopment - Stage 2 Environmental, Structural and Water Efficiency Infrastructure |
Venus Citrus Pty Ltd | $1.7M |
| Olive oil processing plant relocation and infrastructure redevelopment in the Riverland |
Culgoa Vineyards Pty Ltd | $974,000 |
Feasibility projects (Primary industries)
| Project title | Recipient | SCP funding |
| FungAI Riverland Pilot: CCA Post Remediation Commercial Feasibility Study |
Riverland Winegrape Growers Association Inc. |
$70,000 |
| Transforming Langhorne Creek: a land and water use feasibility study |
Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine Incorporated |
$50,000 |
| The Riverland Advanced Food Transformation Hub |
RDA Murraylands and Riverland |
$67,000 |
The South Australian Sustainable Communities Program is a Commonwealth-funded program supporting community- and industry-led projects aimed at minimising the potential social or economic impacts of water recovery under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
Each project has been assessed and approved for funding by the Malinauskas Government through the state's Department of Primary Industries and Regions.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt:
"We're very pleased to be backing local businesses through this program, to help them grow and thrive in regional South Australia."
"Together, the Albanese and Malinauskas Governments are backing River Murray communities with targeted investment to create jobs, stimulate growth, and strengthen long-term resilience."
"Importantly, these businesses are also contributing significant funding to these projects, which shows great confidence in the future of these industries, these communities and the people who work in them."
Quotes attributable to Clare Scriven:
"The Malinauskas Government welcomes the Commonwealth's investment in a range of initiatives that will provide significant benefits to South Australia's River Murray communities."
"This funding comes at a critical time for primary producers, delivering much-needed support for regional jobs, industry diversification, and more sustainable agricultural practices."
"Through these investments in community- and local industry-led projects, Labor is backing a stronger and more resilient regional South Australia."
Quotes attributable to Joint Managing Director of Nippy's Group, Jeff Knispel:
"We would like to thank the Federal Government for providing funds to support our upgrade at Nippy's Waikerie, and we are grateful to PIRSA and the South Australian Government for their support in approving these funds.
"Within the Nippy's Group there are several capital expenditure programs currently in progress and others planned for the future. Funding these programs in these times can be challenging, so it goes without saying that we are highly appreciative that we were successful in our application to the Sustainable Communities Program."
