Mount Gambier’s Liz McKinnon has been appointed as South Australia’s first Cross Border Commissioner.
The establishment of the Cross Border Commissioner fulfills a key Malinauskas Government election commitment and will give South Australia’s cross-border communities a stronger voice to government.
The Commissioner will provide residents, businesses and community organisations within the border communities with a new mechanism to address issues, facilitate collaboration and engagement.
Ms McKinnon will be based in Mount Gambier and will travel to and visit all border communities to assist, identify opportunities and facilitate collaboration with their cross-border counterparts to enhance regional economic development.
Ms McKinnon grew up in cross-border community Dartmoor and has previously worked in local government, in roles of state government in Victoria and South-West Victoria.
She will bring two decades of combined experience in government and media relations to the Cross Border Commissioner role.
Ms McKinnon will commence her role in the new year and said she was “absolutely honoured” to be appointed as the state’s first Cross Border Commissioner.
“As a local from Mount Gambier but someone who has lived in cross-border communities most of their life I am really excited by this opportunity,” she said.
“I have a lot of lived experiences of being a cross-border person and for those that know me I have spent probably the best half of the last decade working in cross-border issues, from building cross-border tourism plans to working with forestry, freight logistics, to supporting our health systems.
“I am really looking forward to delivering on this role as a Cross Border Commissioner.”
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the appointment of Liz McKinnon as the state’s first Cross Border Commissioner marked the delivery of another election commitment to regional South Australia.
“We are committed to support our regional communities through finding practical ways to create better economic and wellbeing outcomes,” Premier Malinauskas said.
Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven said the government were delivering on their election commitment to establish a Cross Border Commissioner in order to make life easier for those who were living and working in cross-border communities.
“We all know how difficult it is if you live close to a border but have to either work or study or access healthcare or run a business on the other side of the border,” Minister Scriven said.
“I am very pleased the recruitment process has resulted in such an outstanding candidate in Liz McKinnon.”
Ms McKinnon said longstanding issues she wanted to tackle were freight, training and health.
Minister Scriven said although COVID had highlighted the issues that cross-border community members faced, these issues had existed for a long time before COVID.
“All of those longstanding issues are things that we look forward to being able to work towards solving and making it easier for both community members and businesses across the border,” Minister Scriven said.
“No issue is too small, everything is important, I am going to make sure I travel as much as possible and work with as many community leaders, business owners, people in health, principals,” Ms McKinnon said.
“I want to know everyone in the community and understand what their issues are so we can resolve them and make sure we get the outcomes that will work for the state.”
Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell congratulated Ms McKinnon on her appointment as Cross Border Commissioner.
“After advocating for six long years for this appointment to occur, I look forward to assisting Ms McKinnon in the role, which is most importantly, based right here in Mount Gambier – one of the state’s most significant cross-border communities,” Mr Bell said.
“I imagine Ms McKinnon will have her own vision of what can be achieved, however I’m convinced this role will see increased productivity for businesses and significant improvements for those communities living close to a State border.
“There are a whole range of areas where I can see our new Commissioner playing an important role, including transport, tourism, agriculture, fishing and forestry and building those all-important ties to our neighbouring states through their own Cross Border Commissioners.”
