Nursery and Garden Industry South Australia Awards

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (14:56): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister please inform the chamber about the important Awards of Excellence ceremony held recently for the Nursery and Garden Industry South Australia?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:57): I thank the honourable member for his question. The Nursery and Garden Industry South Australia was formed in 1908 and has been recognised as the peak industry body for amenity horticulture in South Australia since that time. The association has grown to boast over 110 members, including retail and production nurseries, garden centres and allied traders, which supply a variety of garden centre and decor products.

The annual Awards of Excellence ceremony was held last Saturday night, and I was delighted to not only attend but also have the pleasure of the company of the Hon. Tung Ngo, who last year attended the same event and represented me, as I was unable to go to that one. It was particularly pleasing to be able to go this year. The ceremony was appropriately bathed in green lighting and adornments, and the 200-plus attendees were encouraged to either embrace green glamour or at least a touch of green to embrace the dominant, bright colour of landscape gardening.

The awards themselves were diverse, recognising the welcoming beauty of large garden centres, as well as the valuable inputs provided by production nurseries and allied traders. It is a point worth emphasising that all parts of the nursery and garden industry supply chain play a vital role in cultivating the wellbeing of South Australians by providing the plants, flowers, lawns, landscaping and nurseries that so many of us enjoy.

At a local level, I must admit I was thrilled that Mount Gambier's Van Shaik's Bio Gro took out the Best Allied Trader Commercial award. Van Shaik's Bio Gro is a proud family-owned business that specialises in the organic re-use of waste materials that might otherwise end up in landfill. Examples include green organics and food from kerbside collections, commercial timber waste, whey from the dairy industry, by-products from intensive agricultural and commercial food industries, as well as garden and landscaping waste.

In doing this across its South Australian and Victorian facilities, the company processes in excess of 300,000 tonnes of organic material to create a range of products for the horticulture, viticulture, agriculture and landscape markets, including potting mixes, vegetable and herb mixes, water-saving mulches, landscape pine barks and chips, liquid stimulants and soil conditioners.

Also honoured with life membership on the night was association president, David Eaton, for his long and dedicated service to the sector. I congratulate all the award winners and thank them for both the economic and wellbeing contributions they make to their state through their industry.