Industrial Hemp

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister update the house on the burgeoning industrial hemp industry in South Australia?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker: that question contains debate.

The SPEAKER: The argument that 'burgeoning' is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: That is a fair point of order. Since I have allowed members on my left to correct their questions in recent memory, I will allow the member for MacKillop to do the same.

Mr McBRIDE: Thank you, Mr Speaker, I will start again. My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister update the house on the industrial hemp industry in South Australia?

The SPEAKER: That's better. Member for Lee, happy with that one? Yes. The minister has the call.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Let's hear it.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:59): Thank you sir, and, yes, I can. I thank the member for MacKillop for his very important question, and I thank him for his hospitality on the number of occasions I have been down to his electorate and visited one of the trial sites with the industrial hemp production that has been undertaken by SARDI over the recent season.

One of the state's trial sites, as I have said, was in the member for MacKillop's electorate, but the other trial site was in my electorate, in Chaffey. The trial sites highlighted different soil types, using different styles of water. One site was using highly saline water and the other site was using the magnificent water from the River Murray.

What these trials were able to highlight was that the industrial hemp industry is at the forefront of greatness. Here in South Australia, I can say that we now have 10 approvals for licences to grow industrial hemp. It is really important to understand that what this will now do is give a capacity to our farmers, to the primary sector, to further diversify their business model, to be able to look at parcels of land that may be off season, or whether they are a parcel of land that they are looking to rest and they can plant a hemp crop.

It is also important to note that that there are predictions that this emerging industry has the potential to go on to make millions of dollars for South Australia's economy. It is forecast that over the next five years it could start off at a $3 million return point, and I think that is really important because not only does this diverse product have many, many uses but it is also now being used in beer manufacture, beer brewing. It is used in food products. It is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals. The diversity within industrial hemp, sir—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee and the Minister for Education, this is not Pulteney Grammar. Please, stop this. Minister, please continue.

The Hon. S.K. Knoll: He's called a one-trick pony.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport is warned.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: What it has done is highlight the diversity of this product. As well as food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, it can also be used for building products. I think it really has a large amount of diversity but, again, it is highlighting the ability of a product as an emerging industry and what it can actually mean for South Australia's economy.

With respect to my visit to the South-East, I touch on the great work of SARDI's Mark Skewes—who is a constituent of mine in the electorate Chaffey—and his dedication to the trial, which highlighted just exactly what farmers have been looking for, the questions to be answered, the different varieties and, as I said, the soil types and the water types.

It is also about how the different varieties will fit in with some of the weather patterns and just exactly how successful it will be for different reasons. Some of the hemp varieties have a very, very high oil content, and so they will be very valuable in food production, in beer brewing. Some of the other varieties that have a very high fibre content will be used for building products. What I will say is that the Department of Primary Industries and Regions in South Australia is responsible for issuing the licences to authorise possession, cultivation and possessing and supplying of the industrial hemp here in South Australia.

The act prevents anyone from disclosing where the trial sites are exactly and also who the licences are written to. I wish those participants who now have approved licences all the best for the future.

The SPEAKER: The minister's time has expired. The member for Reynell has the call.