Royal Adelaide Club

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:57): Supplementary: given the Premier's answer just then, in which it was characterised that the Royal Adelaide Club, perhaps with the encouragement of the Adelaide city council, undertook some engagement with the beer festival in Qingdao, why then did the Premier identify in March last year that a substantial presence at the Qingdao International Beer Festival was a coup for South Australia, and why was the presence there described as a joint venture between the Adelaide city council, the state government, Australian Trade Alliance and The Social Creative, the Adelaide company behind the Royal Croquet Club?

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) (14:57): I will take this question because I am in a position to provide some additional information, Mr Speaker. Let's just be clear about this: this was a proposal by the Royal Croquet Club. It was their venture from the outset. They came to the council and to government seeking support. It was completely their idea. On 15 June 2016, the directors of that organisation announced that the company, along with its parent company, The Social Creative, and the Royal Adelaide Club would be placed into voluntary administration partly as a consequence of their initiative.

Several corporate entities associated with the Adelaide Croquet Club launched that venture to which the member refers. The SA government was one of many sponsors in the private venture. We wanted them to succeed, but it was their idea. I will say to you that when I spoke to them I urged them to do a reconnaissance and some thorough business research before they put their neck out. I strongly urged them to go to the Qingdao beer festival and look at what unfolded, rather than relying upon information they had been given.

The decisions they made in regard to how they approached the matter are for them to answer, but it has been made publicly available how it ended from their point of view. The South Australian government—

Ms Chapman: We know that, but how much did you give them?

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: Well, if the deputy leader would like to ask a question, hop up and ask one, Vickie. I have been waiting for a question from you. On Facebook, the club claim:

The Royal Adelaide Club is an initiative led by the Adelaide City Council and the South Australian government to celebrate the sister city and sister state relationships with Qingdao and Shandong Province. Coopers Brewery, Yalumba Wines, Mori Seafood, Cleanseas Seafood, Stehr Seafood and Adelaide University will represent South Australia at the Royal Adelaide Club during the month-long festival.

That description was not quite correct. The SA government was a sponsor only. We provided them with support. It was their venture. The Royal Adelaide Club showcased SA food, wine and beer in Qingdao, and I give them credit because they put on a very good show. They put on a very good show and they established a very good presence in Qingdao, and it was actually quite a good stand. The only trouble was that people didn't turn up, and had they turned up I'm sure it would have been quite successful.

The Royal Adelaide Club Pty Ltd established in Qingdao an Adelaide trading company limited, Huangdo, in order to import sample products, such as beer, wine, food, beef, lamb and pork. I am advised they approached the Adelaide city council with concerns regarding import duties and bond-store delays, and those concerns were raised with us and we tried to help them with it. I just make the point that this was completely a private venture. We would love for it to have succeeded. We were, along with the council, happy to support them, but essentially it was their show and it was theirs to run. Now, that's what happened.