Coronavirus

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:47): My question is for the Minister for Trade and Investment. Can the minister share how the government is supporting South Australian industry in responding to the challenges of the coronavirus?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Minister for Trade and Investment will answer the question and be heard in silence.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade and Investment) (14:48): Thank you for your protection, Mr President. The members opposite are very excitable today. I do thank the member for his ongoing interest in particularly this issue that is confronting us, which is coronavirus.

A number of our industries face significant global challenges in relation to coronavirus and particularly countries to try to contain the spread. Yesterday, I briefed the chamber in particular on how we are dealing with the rock lobster industry. A couple of weeks ago, I gave the chamber an update on the challenges facing international education. Today, I would like to share some further updates.

The situation is constantly evolving. The Department of Home Affairs has put travel warnings in place not to travel to China or Iran and to exercise a high degree of caution travelling to South Korea, Japan, Italy and Mongolia. Numerous airlines have scaled back their routes to South Australia and many major industrial conferences, both in South Australia and overseas, have been cancelled.

I know a number of tourist groups and study tours have been cancelled or postponed, including from countries other than China. They are Japan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. Of course, these developments will affect our international visitation numbers.

An increasing number of companies are suspending international travel for their employees, having an aversion to large gatherings. We are seeing a flow-on effect to a number of major industry conferences and events being postponed to a later date. Notably, this includes the Festival of Australia, an event run by Austrade to promote Australian businesses in China. I can also advise that it has just been announced and confirmed that the AFL match between St Kilda and Port Power will no longer be played in Shanghai but will be played at Marvel Stadium.

Chinese seaports are open and largely functioning, but air freight is significantly disrupted, particularly affecting premium exports such as lobsters and others. Many factories are closed across China, which will impact both the supply chain of our importers and manufacturers as well as prices for key resource commodities. Despite this, it is great that we now have our trade offices on the ground, which are providing timely, intelligent advice to South Australian businesses in an ever-changing environment.

Of course, it has been widely publicised that there are difficulties for many of the Chinese international students in commencing their tertiary studies in time for the semester this year. Chinese international students now make up 34 per cent of South Australia's international student numbers, down from 42 per cent two years ago, and the data released by the Department of Home Affairs on 1 February showed that we now have just a tick under 6,000 students due to start studying who are still offshore at this time.

In response, the Marshall government has been working closely with StudyAdelaide, the universities and our other affected educational institutions. We have met with accommodation providers and Chinese student leaders, and have convened special meetings of the Ministerial Advisory Council for International Education. All three South Australian public universities have set up direct communication lines with their Chinese student cohort and have been very proactive in supporting the students with alternative learning options, deferral of courses and flexibility with critical study dates, and I commend them for their diligence and immediate response.

We need to work together as a state in responding to the coronavirus, and it could be as simple as just supporting our Chinese community. I have also arranged a briefing—which she has had—for the Hon. Zoe Bettison in her capacity as shadow minister for trade and investment to update her on the effects of the coronavirus, and I continue to offer that briefing as an evergreen offer to make sure the opposition is fully briefed on developments with the coronavirus.

With the spread of coronavirus around the globe we expect these challenges to continue. The Marshall Liberal government will continue to work hand in hand with industry to respond decisively on all these impacts.