World Merino Insight

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Minister, can you tell us about the new World Merino Insight event coming to South Australia in September?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (15:16): I thank the member for Torrens for her question. This is going to be a terrific conference being held here in September, which will coincide with the Royal Adelaide Show so that attendees, who will come from South America, Russia, China, New Zealand, and of course Australia, will be able to get down to the ram sales. They will be able to also take part in some of the field days there, as well as the conference. The theme is 'Global merino unity'.

The conference has been organised by the South Australian Stud Merino Sheep Breeders Association, in conjunction with the World Federation of Merino Breeders. The current President of the World Federation of Merino Breeders is a South Australian, Mr Tom Ashby—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: You know the story about the Australian cricket jumpers—they are made from South Australian wool, grown in the Southern Flinders Ranges and put together down there by the good people at Silver Fleece at Kilkenny. We know all that, alright? What are you going to wear when you get out there, it's a bit late in the day, and you are the nightwatchman? You are going to put that jumper on. Well, I'm here is the nightwatchman to bring the team home for the next 30 seconds. The South Australian government—

Mr Duluk interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Yes, Gillespie made 200 in his final test, and he's only about to get dropped after scoring 200.

The government is very pleased to put $25,000 into this conference, which will be terrific. It follows up the release last year of the South Australian government's blueprint for the sheep industry. Of course, that's very important. It is worth $1.8 billion a year, and it goes to the heart of our government's economic priority of agriculture, premium food, wine and fibre being one of the top economic priorities for South Australia.

I was down in the South-East last week, and there were lots of new lambs being born around the place—a great thing to see—and plenty of green pastures. So, thank you very much to all of our wonderful woolgrowers, and we look forward to September and this wonderful conference.