Brand SA

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright) (14:21): Thank you, sir. My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Minister, how is the state government promoting South Australia's products and businesses locally?

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) (14:22): I thank the member for Wright for the question and also I thank the Treasurer for putting some money aside this year in the budget to help promote South Australian produce and services in South Australia to South Australians, because we all know that we produce some of the highest standard products anywhere in the world. We deliver some of the best services anywhere in the world.

Just by explaining to people and pointing out to people the companies that are here and the great produce and services that they come up with, by educating people a little bit, we know that South Australia is a parochial state and people love supporting local industries and local jobs. If everyone spent a few extra dollars on South Australian produce we would create hundreds more jobs.

Many of these jobs are in regional South Australia. If we look at the merchandisable exports, about 50 per cent of them come from the regions of South Australia, despite only 29 per cent of the population living in the regions. So, this is a great initiative of Brand South Australia, and I want to congratulate Karen Raffen and her team who do such a tremendous job. I want to thank all the media partners who have come on board and helped in this support, and, in particular, Ish Davies from The Advertiser newspapers. Ish is a proud South Australian. He wasn't always from here but, since he has arrived, he has been—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: It's the accent, I think, Treasurer. That's how I can tell. He absolutely loves South Australia. He lives up in the Hills. He is a big fan of the Pirate Life beer and the hills wines from South Australia. I think that what we are seeing is so many South Australians—whether they have lived here all their lives or they have come here like Ish—adopting the wonderful companies that we have here, supporting those companies and seeing them grow and flourish.

I guess that Pirate Life is a good example of that. It is a beer company that came from Western Australia because of the conditions here in South Australia, as well as the business climate here—the fact that we take premium food and wine and other beverages really seriously and that we get in and back them as a government and work side by side with those producers. To the team at Brand South Australia, thank you for the wonderful effort you have put in over the past few weeks to promote several businesses from right around the state.

This Saturday, it will culminate in I Choose SA Day, and it is a time for every South Australian to think about what they might do that day. I hope people, like me, will get along to the Willunga Farmers Market, call in to Goodieson's Brewery to maybe swill beer and then get along to some wineries and have dinner at a great restaurant in McLaren Vale. We all represent fantastic parts of the state and we all have fantastic businesses and producers in our electorates. I encourage everyone in here to get behind—

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is called to order.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —this wonderful initiative. Another thing that Brand SA does particularly well is present the South Australian regional awards. Last night, I was in the Adelaide Hills at the Bird in Hand winery, where we celebrated many of the great companies and businesses. I know the member for Hammond was there as well. It was a terrific night. We had four local mayors representing a large swathe of the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the Adelaide Hills.

I want to particularly congratulate B.-d. Farm Paris Creek, Thorngrove Manor Hotel and Canoe the Coorong, who were the three winners last night. To all of those finalists, congratulations on running wonderful businesses, producing world-class produce and giving experiences to people from around the world that are second to none. I want to congratulate you on the hard work that you put in and also for employing so many South Australians. You are doing a terrific job.

The SPEAKER: The leader.

Mr MARSHALL: My question is to the Premier. Given the Premier has been unable to provide the house with any evidence that informed his public statements—

The SPEAKER: Leave is withdrawn for the question. It is a comment. Member for Giles.