Agriculture Sector

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:32): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. I ask the minister: how is the state government supporting growth in agriculture?

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) (15:32): I thank the member for Torrens for the question. It is really important that government works side by side with our agribusiness sector; it is worth about $19 billion to South Australia and employs one in five working South Australians. What we hear time and time again is that the banks have deserted small and medium-sized business in regional South Australia. They have closed down branches. People in the Barossa who used to be able to deal with a bank manager in Gawler now have to talk to a bank manager in Western Australia who has no idea what their business or that region is about.

On Kangaroo Island, I know tourism and food operators down there who can't get money from the banks because the banks don't show any interest in their area. But as a government we stand side by side with them.

Mr Pengilly: That is completely false.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Maybe get out and talk to a few businesspeople over on Kangaroo Island. I spoke to a farmer down there the other day whose interest rates have gone through the roof. I have also spoken to a tourism operator to whom the banks won't loan money. We believe in Kangaroo Island. We are putting an extra $9 million in to expand the runway, along with the federal government. We believe in Kangaroo Island, but the banks don't believe in Kangaroo Island. I am going to stick up for the people of Kangaroo Island and regional South Australia because they deserve our support.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: You want to stick with the banks and their big ad campaign where they are saying that the lights are going out on investment in South Australia. I will tell you who turned the lights out on investment in South Australia: it was the very banks themselves. Anyway, as a government—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Keep defending the banks.

The SPEAKER: Will the minister be seated. The minister keeps addressing his remarks directly to the member for Finniss and appears to be accusing me of a whole range of sins, a whole range of sins that he attributes to the member for Finniss. All his remarks should, of course, be addressed through me. Moreover, he should ignore the member for Finniss and should give us information about what the government is doing to support the growth in agribusiness.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: the minister was trying but, under standing order 137, obstruction, members are continually interjecting, disrupting the business of the house, not allowing ministers to answer their questions.

The SPEAKER: Does the Treasurer think that perhaps the minister for primary industry offered some provocation to the member for Finniss?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: No.

The SPEAKER: No?

An honourable member: A bogus point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Okay.

Mr Gardner: It was an example of obstruction.

The SPEAKER: Thank you for your advice. I just see it differently. Minister.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. You are innocent of any of those claims. There was a lot of support coming for the banks from the other side, particularly from the member for Finniss. One of the programs—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss I call to order.

Mr Duluk interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Davenport I warn for the second and the final time. If people not turning up to street corner meetings were a problem, we would all be in a deep hole.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The Agribusiness Growth Program is one state government initiative supporting small food and beverage businesses across the state. The $1.4 million program over four years is being delivered by Food South Australia and the South Australian Wine Industry Association on behalf of the government and offers businesses access to experts for one-on-one business evaluations followed by a grant and specialist coaching to implement their growth plans.

Thirty food and wine businesses are currently taking part in the Agribusiness Growth Program. Just some of those businesses include the Fleurieu Peninsula Olive Press, which is based at McLaren Vale. George Konidis has a family-owned olive oil and wine production company that has been established for 20 years. There is also Kangaroo Island Shellfish. Ken and Amanda Rowe do a fantastic job with their business based at American River. They are living in Yankalilla now and also run a stall at the Willunga Farmers Market every Saturday morning. They do an awesome job.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for MacKillop is warned.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: They purchased the oyster farm in 2008 and established the Oyster Farm Shop in 2010. I advise anyone to get down there and try it out. Kangaroo Island Spirits, a fantastic business that Jon and Sarah Lark established down there, is also part of the program, along with Smiling Samoyed Brewery at Myponga. Simon Dunstone and Kate Henning are doing a brilliant job down there. There is Thistle Be Good at Aldinga, with Jacqui Good, who established her business in 2002—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned and so is the member for Schubert.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —making a range of ready-to-eat risotto, quinoa and Egyptian dukkah. At Wakefield Grange at Yankalilla, Sophie and Nathan Wakefield are also doing a fantastic job working with producers in their area to provide some of the best meat in South Australia.