Export Accelerator Program

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:30): My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Can the minister update the council about successful recipients of grants from the South Australia Export Accelerator program, and how the grants can be used by local businesses?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:31): I thank the honourable member for his ongoing interest. I am intrigued that members opposite, before I even stand up, just can't help themselves.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I can't hear the minister.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Don't aggravate the President.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: As the council will be aware, last year the Marshall Liberal government launched the South Australia Export Accelerator grant program. The program helps small to medium businesses into international markets and to expand their business and creates jobs for South Australians.

The grants can be used to support a wide variety of business activities, such as producing market materials, hosting inbound missions, participating in international trade shows and business missions, conducting market research, developing and implementing an international e-commerce platform and undertaking export training and consultation. Our aim is to give a boost to businesses that are already producing high-quality products and to take our state to the rest of the world.

The program consists of three grants, tailored for businesses at different stages of development. The emerging exporter: for first-time exporters in South Australia, grants of up to $5,000 are available on a competitive one-to-one basis. The Export Accelerator grant: grants of up to $30,000 are available to help fund business expansion that would create multiple direct ongoing jobs on a competitive one-to-one matched funding basis.

Then, of course, there is the new market entry: grants of up to $15,000 are available to help fund business expansion per each new international market on a competitive one-for-one match funding basis. Exporters continue to access these grants as long as they are seeking new sales in brand-new markets.

The latest round of grant recipients was announced last week. This group consisted of 27 South Australian companies to share in more than $544,000 in state government grants. One of these businesses is Adelaide-based aviation software development business, Avinet. Avinet is the team behind the cloud-based aviation software, Air Maestro, which allows customers to manage flight records, track incidents, identify and analyse hazards and monitor complex flight and duty regulations. They have been awarded $30,000 and will use the grant money to promote their products in overseas markets. Additionally, they are looking to attend trade shows to meet potential customers in key growth markets like the United States and Canada.

So as you can see, there are so many opportunities for emerging sector businesses in South Australia. Businesses in the space sector, agri and food tech industries, creative industries and the high-tech industries (just to name a few) all have such a great opportunity to grow and expand their reach.

The Export Accelerator initiative offers a fantastic opportunity for South Australian businesses to be showcased on a global stage. Furthermore, the program helps companies grow their workforce and create jobs for more South Australians. Other businesses that have received funding as part of this round include Seppeltsfield Road Distillers and Better Taste Organics in the emerging exporters category, Artisans of the Barossa, Biosensis and Mighty Kingdom in the export accelerator category, and Portia Valley Wines in the new market entry category.

These are a handful of the 27 successful applicants for this round of funding, and I offer my congratulations to all the businesses that have already been awarded grants. I encourage anyone interested in applying for the next round of funding to get cracking on 1 July, when the next round opens.