Overseas Goods Exports

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Minister for Investment and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:52): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned. Leave is sought to make a ministerial statement. Is leave granted?

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: Exports are the key to economic transformation, and they support more than 65,000 jobs in South Australia of the 205,000 jobs created from activity outside the state. Exports are surging in key industry sectors important to small business. The Australian Bureau of Statistics released the results for Overseas Goods Exports to December 2015 just this week. One finding in those results is that our exports to emerging markets in India have increased by 7.6 per cent in the 2015 calendar year. There were also across-the-board rises in exports of wine (22 per cent), meat (15 per cent), vegetables and fruit (39 per cent) as the state works to offset the global slump in minerals and oil and gas.

In 2015 South Australia's goods exports totalled $11.7 billion. Given the collapse of global commodity prices, particularly in oil, gas and minerals, which is hammering share markets and economies around the world, it is pleasing to see that South Australia's overall decrease of 1.8 per cent year on year is well below the national trend of -5.8 per cent. The decrease in exports—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: See, they don't understand the figures. They cannot read the figures, that is why we are spelling it out for them. The decrease in exports—

Ms CHAPMAN: A point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Is the deputy leader honestly getting up to make a point of order after the opposition slagged the minister and he slagged them back?

Ms CHAPMAN: Indeed not. I am actually getting up to defend you, sir, for being accused of all sorts of scurrilous things.

The SPEAKER: Well, that is quite different. Minister.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: The decrease in exports in minerals and energy is a global event over which governments, state or national, have little control. When you exclude minerals, petroleum and grains from current results, South Australian exports were up by 16 per cent in the year to December 2015. This is fantastic news for small business and demonstrates that our state is on the right track with its focus on food, services and niche manufacturing exports through our renewed international engagement strategy.

South Australian businesses in both Adelaide and the regions saw strong growth in exports of: wool and sheepskins, up 35.6 per cent ($52.3 million); meat and meat preparations, up 15.5 per cent ($181 million); vegetables and fruit, up 39 per cent ($170 million); wine, up 18.8 per cent ($212 million); wheat, up 22.2 per cent ($274 million); and remaining and similar categories were up 17.3 per cent ($388 million). These figures point to the transformation of our economy, showing strong growth in food and wine exports to counter global contraction in minerals resources exports, particularly to China. This is a credit to the many family businesses and medium enterprises working hard to create jobs and investment across the state.

The strength of these export categories sets a good foundation for an inevitable cyclical recovery of global commodities. South Australian businesses saw strong growth in our traditional trade markets in the United States, up 26.5 per cent ($357 million), and the European Union, up 13.8 per cent ($134 million). The state has a clear plan to further boost trade through export programs, including the Export Partnership Program and TradeStart, and through our market engagement strategies and overseas business missions which encourage SMEs to take the step to grow their international markets.

In the past 12 months, strategies for growing exports have been improved and further integrated. Our strategic approach to markets is better preparing companies to take advantage of the opportunities that business missions generate. These results show that our commitment to working with businesses across the state to expand exports is bringing results. Last week the Department of State Development forum on access to global markets was attended by more than 200 business people. Some important fundamentals are moving in favour of small business and exporters.

The Australian dollar has dropped from almost $1.10 to around 70¢, fuel prices are at record lows, and borrowing costs are at historically attractive levels. There has been $180 million cut from WorkCover costs for small business employers, with levy rates heading towards 1.8 per cent, and significant tax cuts have been delivered. If each SME is able to create a handful of jobs on the back of these welcome developments we would have thousands more people employed.

This is our objective: more jobs in every possible way. We are encouraged by the recent ABS data that shows solid gains in the key export areas upon which we are focusing. I commend the businesses that are working with us to build a bolder, brighter future; and if only there was a little bit more positivity instead of negativity, we would make further progress.

Mr WHETSTONE: Point of clarification, sir.

The SPEAKER: I don't like those. I like points of order.

Mr WHETSTONE: On indulgence, sir, I would like the minister to explain to the house why, when his government came to power, South Australia had 7.9 per cent of the nation's exports and today South Australia has only 4.7 per cent of the nation's exports? Please explain that to the house.

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey will leave the house under the sessional order for the duration of question time for an abuse of the standing orders.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Yes, for one hour.

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is called to order for glorying in the member for Chaffey's discomfiture.

The honourable member for Chaffey having withdrawn from the chamber: