FOOD AND WINE PROMOTION

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:07): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism a question about food and tourism.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: The internet is the fastest growing form of communication in today's world with the likes of websites, blogs—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: I can wait, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: That's alright; there's 14 minutes' worth of this—13 minutes and 58 seconds.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Finished?

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Shall I start again, Mr President?

The PRESIDENT: No, that is alright; it might set them off again.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: As I said, the internet is the fastest growing form of communication in today's world with the likes of websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Can the minister tell the chamber what the government has done to recognise the advantages of promoting premium food and wine to consumers using this resource, in addition to more traditional forms?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions.

The PRESIDENT: It is good to see that everyone has learnt something today.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: It is, Mr President. The opposition has clearly learnt something of great importance here this morning. There is much occurring in the food and wine area. I spoke in this place recently about the fantastic Eat Local initiative.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, I am very interested in food and wine so I want to listen to this answer. It is good to see that the Hon. Mr Ridgway is also listening attentively.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, and feeding his face at the same time. Thank you, Mr President.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: That's alright; you have 12 minutes.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I spoke in this place recently about the fantastic Eat Local initiative as being a real boon for industry and tourism. I have also spoken about the exciting developments with our Asian neighbours by the signing of a MOU between the South Australian and Fujian provincial governments. It is safe to say that South Australian food and wine have been on the lips of many people, if you can pardon the pun—even royalty, so I see.

However, there is a real online buzz around food and wine in the blogosphere as well. Last week, South Australia hosted a national food bloggers conference, Eat Drink Blog, for the very first time. I had the great pleasure of welcoming 80 influential online writers—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Eighty online writers—to Adelaide—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Honourable members have a lot of trouble hearing—where I took the opportunity to remind bloggers that here in South Australia we are very spoilt for choice when it comes to locally sourced fresh food. Delegates got to appreciate firsthand the creative flair of Dennis Leslie and his team at the Hilton. They experienced a very flavoursome feast of what South Australia has to offer in terms of fine food and quality wines from our surrounding regions.

The conference showcased the state's diverse food and wine scene, including restaurants, fresh produce and regional food offerings. The bloggers explored Adelaide's hub of fresh produce at the Adelaide Central Market, and they also visited the McLaren Vale and Barossa regions. The conference involved the local chef Simon Bryant, award-winning blog writers and photographers and internationally renowned food writing coach Dianne Jacob.

I understand that this year's event saw the largest number of delegates yet, and I am sure that this conference will grow from strength to strength. The conference comprehensively covered food writing, social media, career opportunities, restaurant reviewing, ethics, blog design, photography, photo editing, food styling and other related legal matters.

South Australia has indeed benefited from this focus, with the majority of attendees blogging around the world promoting the great atmosphere Adelaide and its surrounding regions have to offer in terms of a memorable food and wine tourism experience. Adelaide Central Market was a highlight. It was very much appreciated and admired by many—and I will quote from a couple of the bloggers. One said:

This great hub filled with hundreds of vendors collected under the same roof selling their specialty products at reasonable prices, creating a real community feel whilst supporting the farmers and growers. It is not hard to see why the market is the centre of Adelaide showcasing South Australian produce. Adelaideans are so lucky to be able to shop here!

Another quote:

I know we also have fresh food markets here in Sydney but they all lack the charm that Adelaide Central Market has.

Our regions have also been identified by bloggers as unique, with one blogger saying:

On our visits to McLaren Vale and Barossa, I was surprised how quickly the buzz of the city faded away and we were travelling through stunning greenery.

Another wrote:

A bus load of us were taken to D'Arenberg courtesy of South Australian Tourism Commission, whereby we learnt about wine tasting and blending, and got to blend our own signature wine. The wines were all tasted by Jack, the winemaker at D'arrys, and I felt so privileged to be in his presence.

I would also like to highlight the demonstrated commitment this government and our agencies have in setting a benchmark for other states to follow in food and wine tourism. One blogger posted the following:

I'm getting all starry eyed just reminiscing about it. A thousand thank you's to the organisers of Eat Drink Blog 2012 and the sponsors for showing us an amazing time for showcasing Adelaide in all its glory. I never expected to be so charmed by this city and I'm now keeping my eye out on all those pesky flight websites because once a flight sale to Adelaide hits, I'm gonna be all over it.

Finally, my thanks to all the sponsors who make the little love fest that is Eat Drink Blog happen, particularly South Australian Tourism. Our state's premium food and wine is being written about and photographed on blog sites. Various initiatives and programs such as Eat Local are reaching wider audiences, both domestically and internationally, while local food and wine tourism events are showing up on local media YouTube sites. This is a wonderful initiative to really get the message out to everyone about what we know to be true: South Australia really does have high quality food and wine to offer, along with unique tourism experiences.