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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-23 Daily Xml
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ADELAIDE ZOO

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:24): Will the Premier tell the house why Adelaide Zoo, and not the sanctuary on the Gold Coast, was chosen to become the home of the pair of pandas from China for the next 10 years after 2009?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:24): I look forward to the day when I can stand beside Alexander Downer, whether or not he is the leader of the opposition here, at the Adelaide Zoo and together say, 'Go Pandas'. But I want to congratulate Alexander Downer—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: You're just pandering to public opinion.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: No, it is not pandering to public opinion at all. I want to congratulate Alexander Downer in this coup in assisting the Adelaide Zoo in getting the first giant pandas ever to come to Australia. In fact, I cannot think of anywhere else in the southern hemisphere where there are pandas.

There was a lot of nonsense in the weekend papers that the mayor of the Gold Coast, former Olympic runner Ron Clarke, is wild with anger that the Adelaide Zoo has been successful in securing two giant pandas from China. I am also told that certain Western Australians are also screaming at the decision. Ron Clarke was quoted in Saturday's Advertiser as saying, 'Who goes to Adelaide by choice?' He also described the decision as a 'disgrace', according to the article.

An honourable member: He won't win a gold medal.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That's right; he won't get a gold medal in diplomacy from the Chinese. I will not sink to his level of personal invective, because that is not my way, or attempt to besmirch the reputation of the Gold Coast by answering this outrageous slur. There is clearly a lot that the mayor of the Gold Coast does not understand, because pandas are not just a tourist attraction. I wish I had had more notice of this question, but I will do my best. These magnificent creatures are also endangered, and they need the help of eminent scientists, conservationists and zoologists if their species is to continue on. I can sum up in three words why the Adelaide Zoo was chosen to become the home of the pandas, and they are; Dr Chris West. Dr West—

Dr McFetridge: Hear, hear!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Thank you for the support. Dr West is an internationally respected veterinary scientist who, I am told, was the former head of the London Zoo. Dr West came from the London Zoo to head up the Adelaide and Monarto zoos early last year. He came here by choice! He came here because Zoos SA has a very strong team of vets and scientists who, in collaboration with research programs being conducted in our universities, operates one of the best, most rigorous and largest research and breeding programs of endangered species in Australia. I am told that the only zoo that runs a bigger conservation and breeding program is Taronga Zoo, which is much larger than the Adelaide Zoo. Zoos SA's team of zoological scientists has gained respect around the world. It has been involved in breeding endangered species, including the red pandas, for many years.

Adelaide was extremely fortunate that Dr West chose to come here to head up this group of scientists and take the Adelaide Zoo and its larger sister, the Monarto Zoo, into the next exciting phase in their development. In fact, just recently I used my discretionary powers to award $2 million to help kickstart a redevelopment of the Adelaide Zoo, starting with its gates and boundaries. I think that that is an investment in not only a leader but a zoo with a huge future.

It was Dr West who first began making trips to China more than 10 years ago to establish collaborative research programs with China on behalf of the Chester Zoo and a veterinary school in the UK. It was his interest and connections made a decade ago that prompted Dr West to approach the foreign minister, Alexander Downer, in April this year with the idea of making a diplomatic approach to the Chinese government about securing a pair of pandas for the Adelaide Zoo. Not only would this allow our vets and scientists to collaborate on a breeding program for this iconic endangered species, but Dr West had the vision that the giant panda would also increase the patronage of our already incredibly popular zoo. Annually—and I know our students here would be part of this—the Adelaide Zoo attracts about 400,000 visitors a year.

Based on the pattern established in other zoos around the world that have secured pandas, such as San Diego in the US, their mere presence could well double visitor numbers to our zoo, especially in the first five years. If and when the pandas have a baby panda (which we all want to happen) visitor numbers are also expected to jump again. There is romance in this story. Being a private zoo, Dr West recognises that the best way to maintain and gain new sponsorship of its programs, to establish better living environments for the animals and to keep lifting the scientific and conservation standards of the zoos is to keep up the level of interest, patronage and passion for conservation within the community.

Dr West visited China earlier this year to establish Adelaide Zoo's scientific credentials to Chinese officials, and the Chinese have responded with two delegations to Adelaide to see for themselves the excellent facilities at our zoo. The decision to place the pandas into Adelaide was not based on a fly-by-night meeting at APEC between the foreign minister and the Chinese prime minister. There has been a huge amount of work going on. Adelaide also has a more comparable climate to that of the natural habitat of the giant panda. While it is much colder in China during the winter, I am told that they are well used to warm, even hot summers.

I am told that, on the Gold Coast for many months of the year the giant panda would have to be housed inside some giant climate-controlled facility. I would like to invite the mayor of the Gold Coast, Ron Clarke, to come to Adelaide, and find out why this was the appropriate choice. I suggest that it makes contact with the president of Zoos SA, the wonderfully dedicated Heather Caddick, to discover the excellent work being undertaken at Adelaide and Monarto by a fantastic team of scientists, vets, conservationists, zoo keepers, handlers, and many great volunteers and contributors who keep our zoos running so well.

The Minister for Water Security, the Minister for Tourism and I visited Monarto at the weekend to see the wonderful white rhino breeding program and, of course, to see the new baby rhino. I suggest that Ron Clarke also needs to discover for himself the many and beautiful places, food, wine and events on offer in Adelaide and South Australia before he begins bleating about losing out. But, because we are a generous people in this state, as compensation I am more than happy to send Mr Clarke a giant plastic blow-up panda, which is probably more in keeping with the nature of other tourist attractions on the Gold Coast—a gesture of goodwill.

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