South Australian Trade and Investment Office, USA

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:43): Supplementary arising from the answer: to be clear, can the minister say if it is Austrade or the state government that makes the selection? I think what the minister told the chamber was that Austrade would shortlist but somehow the South Australian government would make the final decision. Can he be very clear about whose process it is and whose decision it is to make these appointments?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:44): As I said, it is my understanding and I am advised that because we are likely to get this large number of applicants I think it will be. I will check some information, but my understanding is and I am advised that it will be somewhat shortlisted and then the South Australian team will go through the process, as we did with Xiaoya Wei in China and Sally Townsend. It will be the South Australian Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment that will do the selection process.

So while there might be an element of shortlisting, because it would be complicated to try to interview 400 people long distance, it has worked extremely well in China and extremely well in Japan, and I cannot see any reason why the same selection process will not work extremely well in the United States.