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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
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DIPLOMATIC TOUR 2012

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee) (14:16): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier inform the house of his plans to show the world what South Australia has to offer the international community?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:16): On Tuesday I had the great pleasure of meeting with the federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Kevin Rudd. At that meeting we agreed that South Australia will host the 2012 Diplomatic Tour.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Norwood! You are warned.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Nearly 100 ambassadors and other representatives from countries around the world will tour South Australia for three days, learning about our state and all that it can offer overseas businesses, investors, students and tourists. It is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the strength of our state—our mining, our advanced manufacturing industries, our defence industries, our clean tech industries and, of course, our fantastic social services and education, as well as what the state has to offer in terms of tourism, food and wine.

They will be senior representatives of the international community. This will allow us to make some very important links. Of course, we will be showcasing the Olympic Dam and Woomera Prohibited Area, which have now been opened up for mining, and our exciting projects such as the shale gas in the Cooper Basin or nation-leading wind energy generation. The new Tonsley Park precinct, which we have designed as a renewable energy and green tech hub, will also be an appropriate institution to show off, as well as the Bowden Urban Village, our newest urban living project and, of course, Techport, our world-class maritime industrial precinct.

Also, we will be showing them our fabulous food and wine regions. I am sure we will be able to persuade the member for Mawson and also the member for Light to show off some of the beautiful wine growing regions in our outer areas. Our economy has made huge strides over the last decade. South Australia has become reinvigorated with new confidence about our prospects, and we want to share that new confidence with the world. There is enormous potential for international investment here.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Madam Speaker, the only people who do not seem to be sharing this enthusiasm for South Australia's success are those opposite. We think that the diplomatic tour will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the many opportunities that the South Australian economy has for investors around the globe. We know that there are investors seeking a secure and safe investing haven. We know that there are certainly investors' funds that are available, but there are precious few opportunities worldwide for stable investments, and South Australia provides a wonderful opportunity. This could not come at a better time.

It will not all only be about future business opportunities. It will be about showcasing our energetic, innovative and friendly state and showing people the wonderful lifestyle here, which is another key attraction to businesses and business leaders. I am sure that South Australians will join with us in assisting to entertain these guests and show off all that we have to offer.

I will be inviting the Leader of the Opposition to participate in a number of these events with me if she is prepared to do that. I am looking forward to working with business, community and industry groups and the people of South Australia to make it a memorable visit for the diplomatic corps as they visit South Australia.

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