Food, Tourism and Hospitality Industries

Mr DULUK (Waite) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. Can the minister update the house on how the state government is growing our world-class food, tourism and hospitality industries?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (14:53): Thank you—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —very much—

The Hon. Z.L. Bettison interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Ramsay is warned.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: I thank the member for Waite for his enthusiasm in asking this question and also for his enthusiasm in his patronage of the Belair Hotel supporting the tourism and the hospitality industry in the seat of Waite. I won't mention how many nights a week—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —but he's a strong supporter of the hospitality and tourism industry in his seat of Waite. The Marshall Liberal government is passionate about South Australia's food, hospitality and tourism industry.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: We have some of the best produce in the world—

The Hon. Z.L. Bettison interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Ramsay is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —and we want to make sure that South Australians have the skills to present that produce for the world to enjoy. Recently, the federal government announced the commencement of a scoping study to establish an international centre for food, hospitality and tourism studies at Lot Fourteen. HASSELL's Adelaide office is the lead consultant on this project.

Together with the Morrison government, we have already committed $60 million to deliver the new centre. The project is on track, with a scoping study starting immediately to enable construction to begin next year. On completion, it will play a key role in increasing the number of international students—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is warned.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —studying here in South Australia. Of course, that is part of our growth agenda: more international students coming to South Australia. In the meantime, we are ensuring our hospitality industry is supported by a skilled workforce. Under Skilling South Australia, that is a $203 million investment between the Morrison government and the Marshall government.

Just recently, there have been two new projects designed specifically for the industry by the industry. The Career Employment Group have developed an entry to commercial cookery pathway for hospitality trainees, involving 60 participants. The quality hospitality group have commenced their 'Apprentice today, Chef for life' project, involving 62 participants. This has been so successful that we have now released a second program with an additional 30 participants in that space. This is an area that has significant skill shortages and, by dealing with and working directly with industry and understanding what industry needs, we are delivering for industry so that they can employ South Australians.

The project is designed to fill a large number of cookery apprenticeship vacancies. These outcomes will be delivered by the state government listening and responding to industry needs. A newly established Food, Wine, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Skills Council is one of eight industry skills councils where we are getting our intelligence directly from the industry so that we can understand what their barriers are to taking on apprentices, understand where their skill needs are and what enablers they need in order for them to participate in South Australia's training program.