CLARE VALLEY GOURMET WEEKEND

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:15): I seek leave to ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about premium food and wine.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: As we all know in this chamber, the minister has been an articulate, fearless and uncompromising advocate for our regional areas and the first-class products they produce. The Clare Valley, of course, offers wonderful premium food and wine.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I can't hear the Hon. Mr Wortley.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: My question is to the minister—

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley, I didn't hear your brief explanation when you sought leave.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: I will have to repeat it. As we all know in this chamber—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I want to hear this.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: —the minister has been an articulate, fearless and uncompromising advocate for our regional areas and the first-class products they produce. The Clare Valley, of course, offers wonderful premium food and wine. Can the minister tell the chamber about a recent event that showcased the produce available in the Clare Valley?

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Oh, this is a quiz question.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: She should ignore the opinion of it, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: And she will ignore you, sir. Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

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) (15:15): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and his articulate explanation of the question, Mr President.

The Hon. R.I. Lucas: Opinion is alright if it comes from a government member.

The PRESIDENT: And in your brief explanation. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries has the call.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Thank you, Mr President; thank you for your protection—your fearless protection.

The PRESIDENT: You don't need my protection, minister.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Thank you, Mr President. The Clare Valley is one of Australia's premium wine regions renowned for producing world-class wines, particularly riesling, although they also make very good shiraz as well, I have to say. With one out of every two bottles of Australian wine made in South Australia and almost 75 per cent of Australia's premium wine produced in South Australia—a remarkable statistic, isn't it: 75 per cent of Australia's premium wine is made in South Australia and Clare, of course, is a big contributor to these statistics, and that is with this government's fierce assistance to these matters. This year—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: That's in spite of your stupid government. The highest payroll tax, stamp duty, land tax, highest tax, most expensive place to do business—and it should be 75 per cent.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway will have an opportunity to ask a supplementary if he has one, or just stop mumbling. Minister, get back to the answer.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: This year South Australia's Clare Valley celebrated the end of vintage with its award winning wines and premium food at the annual Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend which was held on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May. I am advised that the Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend is in its 29^th year and, significantly, was the first food and wine event of its kind in Australia. I was honoured to be involved in this world-class food and wine event. This year is part of the government's premium food and wine from our clean environment strategic priority. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA worked very closely with the gourmet weekend organisers to develop a public lecture series event that engaged with the wider community about this government's vision for South Australia to be renowned nationally and internationally as a producer of premium food and wine from our clean environment, clean air and clean soil.

The event took place on the first day of the gourmet weekend in the farmers market area at Ennis Park. The event was hosted by well-known South Australian wine identity Paul Henry, who shares my view on the importance of government's strategic priority of premium food and wine from a clean environment. As part of this event there was a panel discussion and opportunities for both the audience and others to pose questions and engage in the discussion. The topics ranged from what industry's views are on how we identify with the words 'premium' and 'clean' to how industry and government can work together to increase the understanding of this important priority to the Clare Valley through South Australia's new brand and the brand launched by the wine industry—Adelaide The Wine Capital of Australia.

Three Clare Valley locals, who all have a passion for the South Australian food and wine tourism sector, formed the panel discussion. They were: David Hay, a self-taught cook and part owner of Thorn Park 'by the vines', a beautiful homestay retreat in the Clare Valley; Kevin Mitchell, winemaker at Kilikanoon Wines, with a long tradition of grape growing; and Rosemary Dunn, director of Four Leaf Milling, a Dunn family operation that includes farming their 2,500 acre property which has, most impressively, been certified biodynamic since 1989 and which has been chemically clean for the past 80 years.

As part of the panel discussion the public was encouraged to give opinions and ask questions, and I was pleased to hear these passionate South Australians talk about the many benefits of our food and wine industries as well as their ideas about how we can take advantage of these benefits. Through branding and positioning ourselves in a way that differentiates South Australian food products, we can provide many opportunities for suppliers and producers, and this is a key focus of this government.

Following the panel discussion a mystery box cooking challenge took place, with two passionate South Australian chefs, Callum Hann and Sylvia Hart, cooking a dish using surprising ingredients from the Clare Valley farmers market. I was initially invited to assist in the cook-off but I declined, saying that unless it involved a kettle and a toaster it was completely out of my league, and left it to the experts. They did invite me to do a tasting at the end, which was most enjoyable.

I was very much encouraged to see so many members of the public at this event, which celebrated the best of South Australia's premium food and wine.