Investment and Trade Initiatives

Ms VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Investment and Trade. What are the government's plans for investment and trade following South Australia's business month in China?

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Minister for Investment and Trade, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:42): I thank the member for her question because the government's investment and trade agenda is all about jobs, simply jobs, and it's also about small business because—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: —the government has taken action to establish regular outbound and regular inbound missions to China on a scale not before seen. $1.5 million worth of premium wine sales by Seppeltsfield agreed to this week will deliver jobs across the regions.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: Ten tonnes of tuna being sold by Hagen Stehr will deliver jobs—in fact it's 40 tonnes of tuna—in the regions, and deals involving hay producers and regional industries for up to $12 million agreed to last week will create jobs, jobs, jobs, and that is what this government is determined to do. We heard from the Premier a moment ago about the success of our activities in China in the last week. They extended to Hong Kong where the minerals and energy sector and industry disciplines attended with me at a forum organised by PricewaterhouseCoopers. We also attended the Australia-China Business Awards, the South Australia Club was established and, again, it's all about jobs.

Our delegation has sent a very clear message to China, and Shandong in particular, that South Australia is a strong and dedicated partner across the business, education, health and cultural sectors.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer and the leader will cease their quarrel.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: This builds on up to 30 years of relationships by former governments, both Liberal and Labor, because this is one area where historically there has been some bipartisanship, but it seems that bipartisanship is in the past. Many in the South Australian business community appreciate more than ever that the state government is capable and ready to facilitate real commercial outcomes for their small businesses, for their farms, for their enterprises, in China.

For some of our businesses, it was their first entry into China and, by participating in our trade delegation, they have potentially saved years of false starts to find appropriate business partners in China. I can inform the house that we are now working with the business community—with small business, with farmers—to prepare them for the government's next round of outbound missions, which will be to India and South-East Asia in August. We will be taking large numbers of businesses to create jobs, jobs, jobs, and to grow enterprise within their businesses so that they can expand them, so that they can grow those family businesses.

The department and all government agencies have been directly involved in discussions with Shandong over the next steps for our program as we celebrate the 30^th anniversary of this relationship. In September, a significant delegation will be coming here from Shandong where it is hoped further MOUs, further contracts and further agreements will be made to create jobs.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all who were involved in organising the week in China, particularly the international trade and immigration agency's Matt Johnson. I want to thank Jing Li, the officer in charge of this enterprise in China, and also our people in China: Fion Jia in Jinan, Julia Zhu in Shanghai and Alice Jim in Hong Kong. These people are working to create jobs in South Australia. We intend to continue doing so with our regular round of outbound and inbound missions, again to create jobs, because we have fostered strong relationships with our business migration partners, as well as enterprises in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanning, Hangzhou and Hong Kong following a series of informative seminars and activities all about creating jobs and enterprise.

We will soon be announcing the first recipients of the reformed Export Partnership Program, which will further support business development in Asian markets. This government is going to create jobs and enterprise out of trade and investment, and we are going to do it strongly, as never seen before.