WINE FORUM

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:15): I know she will not have this detail—

The PRESIDENT: What's the question?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: —but could the minister bring back to the chamber the budget for the event?

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire: And the menu.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: And the menu—well, I have been fortunate enough to be invited to the dinner, so I will enjoy the menu, but I would like to know what the budget is for the event, please.

The PRESIDENT: The honourable minister, if you can find a supplementary question in there.

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 am happy to bring back an answer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Wine Australia, the federal organisation, contributed quite a bit of the funding.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: How much?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I will have to bring back the details. I do not have the actual figures with me, but they did contribute a significant amount from their industry fund, and both PIRSA and SATC contributed amounts as well. I cannot recall the exact amount but, as I said, I am happy to bring that back and present the overall budget for this important wine event.

I do want to stress the number of attendees: approximately 700 attendees and 140 VIPs have been confirmed. This has the potential to have an enormous economic impact for this—

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire: Do they all go in free, the whole 700?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: They pay; they contribute. They pay a conference fee.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, you have the call and you can ignore some of the interjections.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Thank you for your protection, Mr President. Conference fees are charged; I do not have the numbers for those, but I am sure I can find those out as well. What it does demonstrate is that, irrespective of the cost to these delegates, 700 are being prepared to contribute and 140 VIPs as well. This has the potential to have enormous economic benefits to this state. If you just look at the number of visitors who will be attracted to this state who stay overnight, pay for accommodation—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: I have to do it—order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, you have the call.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I just did want to indicate the important economic contribution that these sorts of conferences have to South Australia, not only in terms of the spend that these visitors have whilst they are here but also that it attracts visitors to the state who might not ordinarily come, and hopefully they will get a taste of our fabulous state and might even visit at a later date and bring friends and family.

The economic spin-off is not just to our food and wine industry but to all of our hospitality industry, our accommodation, our hotels, the souvenirs that visitors buy and the general shopping and other spend—enormous economic potential for this state. We consider the contributions to these sorts of conferences to be an investment in the ongoing prosperity of this state and an investment in our food and wine industries and our hospitality industries. We think it is money well spent.