Investment and Trade Statement

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Investment and Trade. Can the minister provide details about the state's actions to create jobs detailed in the 2017 Annual Investment and Trade Statement?

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) (14:35): I thank the member for Colton for his question. There are a lot of small businesses in his electorate. That is why on 17 February I was pleased to launch the 2017 Annual Investment and Trade Statement with about 300 members of our business community. This statement is a snapshot of activity in South Australia's economic engine room. It highlighted many of the achievements we have made in the last year. A special guest at the event was independent finance journalist Alan Kohler. It was significant that Mr Kohler's keynote address acknowledged the contribution of state government initiatives in the creation of jobs.

Other speakers at the event who had been on official trade missions acknowledged the impact of the missions on their business opportunities. It is very interesting how quickly the opposition and the media fly to the negative—for example, the loss of jobs at Coca-Cola. Yet, on the very same day, an equivalent number of jobs were created at Big River Pork in Murray Bridge, including construction jobs, where the Premier and I announced a new success of the Investment Attraction agency. It is interesting how hard it is to get the good news out there when there is bad news to be portrayed. Of course, on this particular launch—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey, I will not speak of him again other than to remove him under the sessional order.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: At this particular launch, a number of facts were revealed. Three hundred and eighteen local companies took part in six business missions to 13 countries. More than $8 million in direct export deals were concluded during those missions, and many more will follow. Nearly 2,000 business connections were made as a result of the outbound missions. In China alone, 730 new business connections were made, with 205 export leads at an estimated value of $50 million. Our merchandise exports were up to $11.5 billion in 2015-16. In the past year, another 83 South Australian businesses have become exporters for the first time—all good news. Try to find it reported upon.

In the 16 months since we established the new agency, Investment Attraction SA, we have secured almost $1 billion worth of investment, created 5,000 jobs and attracted investment in 13 projects which is an extraordinary outcome, including Ingham's, $275 million, 1,470 jobs; Orora, $52 million investment, 110 jobs; Neoen, $250 million, 160 jobs; Datacom, $22 million, 795 jobs. Then there is NEC, Babcock, Buddy Platform, ScreenAway, Australian Global Wine Solutions, Micromet, Latitude, Greaton, Blue Lake Dairy, and Big River Pork, mentioned a moment ago.

My colleague the Minister for Tourism has championed the government's attraction of Qatar Airways and China Southern Airways who now fly direct here. The Bank of China has opened its first branch in South Australia. We face challenges—businesses in South Australia have always faced significant challenges—but the successful South Australian business culture is out there kicking goals. Adelaide was recently ranked the fifth most liveable city in the world. KPMG says we are the most cost-competitive city in the country.

Our tax reforms have made us an extremely low taxing state, our housing costs are low, our commercial office space comes at savings of up to 60 per cent, and we tabled a report from Flinders University making these exact points. On many cost drivers, we are the most competitive place in the country. Of course there are challenges, but the launch simply underlined the point that there is plenty of good news out there to be told; all that is needed is a willingness to tell it.