Question Time

STATE STRATEGIC PLAN

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about the State Strategic Plan.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Agriculture and primary industries, including food processing, wine and aquaculture are key drivers of the South Australian economy and our export industries. In 2004, Mr President, when you were very newly elected to this place, the government set itself a target outlined in the State Strategic Plan to treble the value of South Australia's export income to $25 billion by 2013. To state the obvious, it is 2013 now.

By 2007, Labor had downgraded its target. It had pushed out the $25 billion export income goal until next year, 2014, having found that there was little or no or negative movement in the preceding period. In 2012 came a new assessment. In achievability the analysis again revealed it was unlikely. Here is what it said: 'The level of growth is ambitious and it is unlikely that the target will be achieved.'

Will the minister for export dependent segments of agriculture, primary industries, food and fisheries apologise for her failure, and will the minister stop breaking the undertakings to 30,000 South Australians who rely on agriculture, forestry and fisheries for a living?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:22): I am advised that the food industry target that I have lead for, or PIRSA has lead for, involves increasing the revenue from $20 billion by 2020, and my understanding is that that is indeed most achievable, given the recent analysis and understanding of trends and opportunities for growth within the agrifood sector.

The 2011-12 gross food revenue increased by $442 million, which is 3 per cent, to reach record levels of $14.3 billion, and this target is very closely aligned to the premium food and wine from our clean environment, which is of course a key priority plank for this government, announced by the Premier Jay Weatherill, and the activities undertaken around that.

Things are looking very positive on a number of fronts and that is irrespective of the very challenging economic environment that we are in. We have seen a number of programs where this government has provided considerable support for regional economic developments, including the Riverland Sustainable Futures Fund, which is a $20 million fund to help stimulate growth and investment in business in the Riverland region. Also, the Enterprise Zone Fund has been very important in helping to generate activity in the north.

We see that this government has contributed to a number of important initiatives to help achieve that important front. Gross food revenue has increased by $442 million (3 per cent) to reach record levels, with gross wine revenues increasing by $26 million (1 per cent) to reach $1.75 billion. Finished food values have grown by around $200 million (4 per cent) to reach record levels of $4.9 billion. Food exports exceeded the record levels of 2010-11 by $207 million (6 per cent) to reach a record $3.7 billion. While wine exports declined slightly there has been a recent upturn, which I am pleased to report on.

We see that SA agribusiness employment has reached record levels of 150,300. We have done much in that space in terms of the responsiveness around fruit fly and maintaining security there, phylloxera management and many other very stringent biosecurity measures which ensure that we remain as a state providing premium quality food and wine from a clean environment.