International Students

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:48): My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment on the topic of the international student sector. The contribution of international students to South Australia has been enormous. Can the minister please update this council on how the South Australian government is attracting private investment into the state's international education industry?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for her ongoing interest in this topic and today's question. South Australia is a great destination for international students wanting to study overseas in a safe environment with a fantastic lifestyle for high-quality education and bright employment opportunities. With our state's national share of international student numbers decreasing each year, the Marshall Liberal government has been forthright in our desire to grow the international student numbers. I have already implemented key policies to make this happen, as I outlined in the chamber last Tuesday. Increased funding to StudyAdelaide and the establishment of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for International Education (MACIE) are just a few of the measures we are implementing.

The industry has stood up and taken notice of this government's fresh approach to tackling international student numbers head on, and we have seen a good deal of investment into South Australia to build further capacity and to grow our student numbers from around the globe. A prominent example of the private investment into our state's international education infrastructure is the healthy pipeline of planned and under construction and recently completed student accommodation projects around the city

Today, I would like to share with the council another investment that has recently come to fruition as an example of the confidence in our state's future. On 8 October, I was proud to open a new English examination centre together with the federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham. The establishment by the international education company Pearson of the Adelaide professional training centre joins the ranks of some 200 other Pearson professional centres and networks in affiliated cities all over the globe. The centre will provide secure and certified English competency testing for international students looking to enter the Australian education institutions and language services for migrants seeking permanent residency.

I have visited the new facilities on Waymouth Street and was very impressed by the examination facility, the friendly team and some of the tight security measures they employed to ensure fair and genuine testing. Pearson tells me their first Adelaide professional centre will attract up to 400 test takers per week and employ seven staff.

The more international students we are able to attract to the state, the greater the benefits to our local economy. As we know, the sector is already worth over $1.5 billion to our state's economy. International students spend on accommodation, goods and local services while they are living here, and it creates more jobs for South Australians. I thank Pearson for their confidence in this government's plan to grow the international student numbers in this state and congratulate them for opening their facility, which will provide greater choice and easier access for international students and migrants to our state.

Last week, while I was giving an answer, speaking on MACIE, the ministerial council, a supplementary question from the Hon. Russell Wortley asked me for the names of the people who were on that committee. If it is okay, Mr President, as a follow-on from this question, I will put those names on the record. They are: Professor Justin Bilby, Mr Brett Blacker, Dr Joy de Leo, Professor Nancy Cromar, Dr Bronwyn Donaghy, Ms Karen Kent, Mr Peter Klar, Mr Brett Mahoney, Mr Phuong Phan, Mr Bill Pecker, Mr Lino Strangis, Mr Sebastien Raneskold, Mrs Gabrielle Rolan, Ms Cathy Schultz, Ms Karen Weston and Ms Marilyn Sleath.