China Trade Mission

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:35): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development about the recent trade mission to China.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: In the response to a question asked on Tuesday 9 April, the minister stated in this council that the state government is also supporting South Australian wine export re-engagement with China through the $1.85 million re-engagement package. The minister further highlighted that there are five key components of the re-engagement package, those being: two-way market activation and immersion, promotional marketing and communication campaigns, the establishment of a wine adviser in country, technical cooperation, and exporter capability building. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister provide a breakdown of the $1.85 million re-engagement package for each of the five key components that she outlined on 9 April?

2. Can the minister also explain what tangible outcomes and practical benefits SA primary producers can expect to get out of each of the five key components that she highlighted?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:37): I thank the honourable member for her question. First of all, the $1.85 million does involve, as has been outlined, a number of different components. It includes work being undertaken or led by the Department of Trade and Investment as well as work that is being led by PIRSA, my department.

The $1.85 million package is designed to address many of the difficulties that we have in terms of re-engagement with China, noting that there have been significant changes in the Chinese economy, and therefore in the Chinese market, since the time that the tariffs were put onto Australian wine. Members will recall that that was under the former federal Liberal government, and unfortunately that government failed to do very much at all in terms of re-engaging with China in terms of standing up for the export markets that are so important to so many of our primary producers, including, of course, wine grapegrowers and winemakers. In terms of the specific breakdown, I am happy to take that on notice and bring back a response.