SOUTH AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries. We have heard about merger discussions between the Adelaide University and the state government's research institute, SARDI. Can the minister please explain what the benefits of the potential new relationship will be?

Ms CHAPMAN: This is hypothetical, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Is this a point of order?

Ms CHAPMAN: This is a proposal. So, it is a hypothetical; it has not happened yet.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: Madam Speaker, I did not hear the point of order. Sorry. Could it be repeated?

The SPEAKER: At this stage I will give the minister the opportunity to respond as he chooses, and I will listen very carefully to the minister's answer.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Northern Suburbs) (14:55): Thank you.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: All will be revealed, Iain.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: I thank the member for Taylor for the question. I am pleased to confirm that discussions about the possibility of a merger between the University of Adelaide and SARDI, which began last year, are progressing well. To date a memorandum of understanding has been signed, and the discussions taking place by the joint working party are focused on achieving a strong outcome for both parties.

Both SARDI and the university have now progressed to the stage of undertaking due diligence. The merit of the merger relates to the benefits that will accrue to South Australia. SARDI, as members are well aware, is a highly respected organisation with significant research and development capability and a reputation for applied research that delivers innovation to industry. An alignment with the university would build on SARDI's strengths and its brand. For the university, this arrangement would enhance learning opportunities for postgraduate and undergraduate students.

The collective capacity of both organisations would position South Australia as the go-to state for primary industry tertiary education. It would position the University of Adelaide nationally as the premier agriculture, fishing and aquaculture education provider. Vice-Chancellor James McWha has a vision that the University of Adelaide would be the pre-eminent primary industry education facility in the southern hemisphere. I believe that that particular vision will be realised with this merger.

The merger would ensure ongoing access by the South Australian government to a high quality technical capacity to provide independent evidence-based advice to inform government legislation, policy, strategy and program development. It would provide greater confidence in the retention of SARDI's key capacities within South Australia.

The University of Adelaide would also significantly benefit in its overall ranking in the group of eight universities. This is the top elite group, and the university currently sits at No. 8. The advice that I have received is that this merger will move the University of Adelaide potentially to No. 5 in the group of eight ranking, which means that this state then has a highly regarded university, one that sits in the middle rankings as opposed to the current situation where it is sitting at No. 8, and that positioning on occasions is rather tenuous. If we are serious about the university city proposition, this certainly will cement South Australia and Adelaide as a pre-eminent university city in Australia.

The benefits in large part accrue from SARDI's significant portfolio of research grant funds, ensuring that South Australia would continue to be positioned nationally as a leader in tertiary education and research and development. Potential benefits to be gained for South Australian primary industries will be leveraged off the strong alignment that SARDI applied research capability has with the university's fundamental research and education capability.

The union will strengthen the ability of the collective research and development to deliver innovation of our agricultural, fishing, aquaculture, food and environmental industries, build on SARDI's strong research capability and the University of Adelaide's recent high performance in the 2011 ERA report and position South Australia as the undergraduate and postgraduate, agricultural and fisheries education and training centre for Australia. I believe that this has the potential to bring even more international students into this city.

We are currently undertaking significant stakeholder consultation, and the feedback we have received is extremely positive, and I think most members on the opposition benches are picking up on that as well. Industry are highly engaged in this proposition and see great merit. As it stands today, the due diligence process and the stakeholder consultation will continue, and depending on how this progresses it is quite possible we will see a stronger alliance between the University of Adelaide and SARDI in the future, an alliance which will significantly enhance South Australia's research and education capabilities.

I assure both sides of the house that these discussions aim to secure SARDI's capability and funding and its ability to continue to deliver brilliant practical outcomes for South Australia's food and primary industries into the future.