House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Investment and Trade Initiatives Investment and Trade Initiatives Mr WHETSTONE House of Assembly Chaffey Investment and Trade Initiatives Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:17): My question is to the Minister for Investment and Trade. As the government has cut the budget for globally integrating the South Australian economy from $30 million to $16 million in the past two years, has the minister successfully lobbied to reinstate funds for investment and trade initiatives? The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH House of Assembly Waite Minister for Investment and Trade Minister for Defence Industries Minister for Veterans' Affairs Investment and Trade Initiatives The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Minister for Investment and Trade, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:17): I thank the member for his question and congratulate him for being put on the front bench in this portfolio. I can tell you that the budget that will be announced on Thursday was set before I came into cabinet, but that it is a good budget, in my opinion, as you will see on Thursday, for investment and trade. I can also tell you that in recent weeks we have announced record figures on export performance and that we have announced significant developments in our relationship with both India and China, and you have just heard my colleague the Minister for Primary Industries talk about that. Can I also tell you that there will be announcements in the coming week that take to a new level our engagement with our trading partners, as you will see in the next few days. In the coming year you are going to see some very exciting offerings on how we might create new jobs and new enterprise from selling more of our products overseas and getting into this state more investment, because what we all need to do, on both sides of this house, is talk South Australia up. What we all need to do on this side of the house is support our primary producers, our winemakers, and our manufacturers to sell their products. I am very confident that the newly appointed shadow minister will be a partner with me in taking a bipartisan approach, because what business wants from all of us is cooperation, not conflict and confrontation. They want us to be singing off the same song sheet when we go overseas and promote the good work being done by our farmers and our small businesses. I think you will see a very productive year ahead on investment and trade, and I thank him for the question. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert is called to order, and the member for Hammond, for interjecting 'Kumbaya', is warned a first time. Member for Stuart.