Question Time

Food Hub

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, and the Minister for Science and Information Economy, a question about the high-value food manufacturing centre.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: In last year's budget, under the then department of further education, employment and science technology one of the government's initiatives was to provide $1.1 million per annum indexed, phased in from this financial year, to establish a high-value food manufacturing centre. It stated:

The centre will build a collaborative partnership between industry, government, universities and researchers that concentrates resources on the key issues facing the food manufacturing industry. The centre will focus on processes that add value to our produce, to support increased export of our food and produce.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Can she provide an update as to the status of this high-value food manufacturing centre?

2. Given that in his speech on Tuesday, the Governor said that the Department of Primary Industries and Regions will take responsibility for food manufacturing, which will allow the department to focus on the entire supply chain from paddock to plate, has this program been shifted into Primary Industries and Regions or is it still in her agency?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for his questions. In terms of the advanced food manufacturing grants program, called—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: It's a centre, not a grants program. It's a centre.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, that's right. There were applications. There were calls on 2 April 2014 to support projects that will result in the assistance of commercialisation of research, resulting in new and improved food products or manufacturing processes. A Food Hub advisory group made up of food manufacturing industry experts will be established to provide project advice and strategic direction to the Food Hub.

The high-value food manufacturing centre (the Food Hub) was announced as a $4.5 million project over four years as part of our 2013-14 state budget. The Food Hub will focus on problem-solving services and innovation support to increase productivity and export capability of small to medium enterprise food manufacturers.

Progress to date includes appointing a Food Hub project manager, developing governance arrangements, a set of scope and objectives on which the Food Hub will focus, as well as publicity material outlining the Food Hub services. In relation to the grants program I referred to, which was released in February 2014 and closed on 2 April 2014, assessment of those applications is currently underway.

The Food Hub is actively developing linkages with the food industry via Food SA and research organisations, in particular the University of Adelaide, and they will develop strong links with key regional food sectors. The Hon. David Ridgway is quite right: the responsibility for the management and oversight of the high-value food manufacturing centre as of 1 July will rest with the Department of Primary Industries and minister Bignell.