Food South Australia

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (14:30): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries—

Mr Koutsantonis: That's unfortunate, sir.

The SPEAKER: The member for Kavel has the call.

Mr CREGAN: —and Regional Development. How will the state government's funding commitment to Food SA grow the food and beverage sector in South Australia?

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Primary Industries.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:30): I thank the member for Kavel—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: —for his question. I do note that the member for Kavel—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: —was at the recent opening of the $14 million redevelopment of Beerenberg, as was one of his constituents, A.E. Cranwell and Sons, the brussels sprouts grower, one of the member for Kavel's favourite vegetables. I commend him for that.

This government has committed to the food industry of South Australia once again. One of our election commitments was that we were going to give Food SA the funding they needed to progress the food industry and beverage sector. A figure of $1 million per annum was announced just in recent days to Food SA at their industry action plan of 2018-21. That $1 million guarantees that they can now get on with the job of promoting the food sector here in South Australia, and the beverage sector here in South Australia, that is critical to South Australia's economy.

A $17.6 billion revenue comes into our economy through the great work of our producers, our value-added manufacturers, our traders, our packagers, and the suppliers and markets. It is critical to know that Food SA is more than just an advocate for growing food, value-adding food and making sure that the R&D is done around staying in front of the game.

Food SA also travel the world, making sure the expos are filled with SA businesses to make sure that those businesses are prepared so that, when they are on the floor of those large areas on the world stage, South Australia has some of the best representation in the world. It is ably run by Catherine Sayer, CEO of Business SA, and another great success story, Ray Borda, Chairman of Food SA. He is the chairman of Macro Meats, and it's a great South Australian business.

Regional South Australia will be the beneficiary, by and large, because regional South Australia, by and large, grow the produce. They then value-add. If Food SA can actually give benefit or add value to that vertically integrated business out of the regions, they will do that. They will make sure that South Australia's produce is A class, clean, green, safe produce.

It is important to note, again, as I have said many times, that 29 per cent of the population present 50 per cent of the merchandise exports. That is what South Australia is renowned for. We are the leading state in this great nation of food production and value-added. What I will say here is that not only through the value-added chain will we continue—as will Food SA—those core programs to make sure that we are in front of the game.

It is important to note that everyone here puts food on the table, three meals a day. It is important to note that there are many thousands of businesses, some 4,000 businesses in regional South Australia, that rely on food production to put income into their business. But it is also important to note that we are putting safe, clean, green food on everyone's table. Globally, we are renowned for being some of the best producers, innovative producers, anywhere in the world.

Food SA will again host the Food Industry Awards. They will now employ a liaison officer to better integrate those businesses with the trade shows, with all the producers' two markets. It's also important to know that this government is going to back our exporters because we remember that hashtag #regions matters.