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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-29 Daily Xml
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NUFFIELD SCHOLARSHIPS

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (11:55): I move:

That this house congratulates—

(a) Nuffield Australia on the 60th anniversary of its first Nuffield farming scholar; and

(b) Nuffield International on holding its triennial international conference in South Australia in September this year.

It is very timely that I rise to move this motion today because the conference itself is going on this very week here in South Australia and international representatives have gathered in rural South Australia during the week, and particularly in Adelaide tomorrow, for the conference day.

The Nuffield scholarship scheme had its beginnings in the early days following the Second World War when Lord Nuffield, an industrialist and philanthropist from England, initiated a travelling scholarship scheme, initially for British farmers but the scheme was extended to include other farmers from around the empire, as it was in those days, in recognition of their efforts in feeding the nation through the war.

Lord Nuffield had made his money from fairly humble beginnings, I guess—in the first instance, making and repairing bicycles for the students at Oxford university. He went on to begin manufacturing motor cars—Morris Oxford cars—and the member for Fisher has specifically asked me not to mention Nuffield tractors. I am thinking he must have had a bad experience somewhere in his life. The general opinion of the house, Madam Speaker, is that they were terrible tractors. All the same, Lord Nuffield, from his factory in the Midlands of England, manufactured the first universal English tractor, I guess.

The intention of the scholarship scheme was to advance best agricultural practices, and in 1947 Jane Kenyon and Edward Stokes from the UK were awarded their scholarships. They travelled overseas and paved the way for scholars, from the commonwealth countries, probably 1,500 over the ensuing 50 years or so. In 1951, which is 60 years this year, Neil McNeill from Western Australia and Bert Kelly from South Australia were—

Mr Pengilly: The modest member.

Mr TRELOAR: —the modest member, indeed: thank you, member for Finniss—became the first Australian scholars. Bert Kelly, of course, came from South Australia and was, in fact, the Liberal member for the federal seat of Wakefield from 1958 to 1977, some 19 years. During that time, he was a regular contributor to many rural newspapers as the 'modest member' and, upon retirement from politics, continued to contribute media articles as the 'modest farmer'. Bert Kelly, of course, was from the Lower North here in South Australia and the family is well known in agricultural circles.

Funnily enough, Neil McNeill, the other inaugural Australian scholar, was from Western Australia and he also became a member of parliament at both federal and state level, serving one term in the federal parliament and then spending a long time as a member of the upper house in Western Australia. In those days, only two scholarships were awarded each year in Australia, and it was on a rotational basis between the states. Over the last 15 years or so, the organisation has worked very hard to increase the number of scholarships on offer, and that has been made available due to extensive sponsorship. Currently, I believe, Australia is sending about 20 scholars overseas annually, and these scholars have the opportunity to choose a subject of study of their liking and spend up to eight months travelling the world studying and reporting back, initially to the association itself.

They bring back many skills and findings and really return to their own businesses upskilled, as well as making a contribution to the broader agricultural community and industry itself. The scholarship scheme really involves farmers now from the UK, Wales, Scotland, England, New Zealand, Canada, France, Ireland, Zimbabwe and, of course, Australia. There are around 50 scholarships a year, and those scholars become part of an extraordinary worldwide network.

I was fortunate enough to be awarded a Nuffield Scholarship in 2001, and I remember my final national interview particularly because it was here in Adelaide and it was the day after the September 11 attack on the Twin Towers in the United States; so, that really stuck in my mind. Within a few weeks I was informed that I had been successful, and what ensued during 2002 was a tremendous experience and extensive travel—just a wonderful time, and time spent with people who are now colleagues and friends.

I will make particular mention of another Eyre Peninsula farmer who travelled with me at that time, Tim Van Loon from Warramboo; another South Australian farmer, Lynton Arney from Strathalbyn; and a Western Australian farmer, Murray Gmeiner, who is here in Adelaide this week. I have caught up with him again, and it is great to see him. The other Australian I travelled with in 2002 was Willy Ellison from the Northern Territory; and, rather sadly, he was killed in a light plane accident some two years later. That is very sad, but it was a joy to know him and he was a valuable part of my experience that year.

The tri-annual conference is being held in Australia this year, as I have said. Much work and effort goes into the organisation of a conference such as that, and I congratulate Brendan Smart (a farmer from Keith here in South Australia who has been in charge of the organising committee) on the fact that he has managed to pull this together and get so many delegates from around the world.

The conference began last weekend with a presentation day in Adelaide, which involves the announcement of the new scholars—those who will be travelling in 2012 (and there is much excitement and anticipation about that), as well as a report from the scholars who are just completing their studies. The returning scholars are obliged to make a presentation to the association, and they are also obliged to make a written report on their findings. They are then quite at liberty to return to their businesses, and almost invariably they go on to make a further contribution both to agriculture and to the wider community.

In South Australia we have seen three regional tours, as well as the visit to the capital city. Over this last week those regional tours, the breakaway groups, I guess, have visited the Mid North, the South-East and Eyre Peninsula. I was fortunate enough on Tuesday to join those groups on Eyre Peninsula, beginning in Port Lincoln and touring the countryside with them. We were particularly looking at agriculture that day but I know that, on the following day, they were looking at the seafood industry in and around Port Lincoln.

Of course, the scholarship scheme of recent years has expanded to include a seafood scholarship. It is something that I was very keen to get up. At the time the board agreed that it was something we could support, and now, I think, we have three, maybe four, seafood farming scholars out of Eyre Peninsula. They are very involved in their own industry, particularly aquaculture and also prawns. I am sure that those visitors—the delegates everywhere—would have had a good look at rural South Australia. I was particularly pleased to show some of the international visitors the part of the world I come from.

There are many challenges for agriculture currently and in the coming years, not the least of which will be supplying a rapidly-increasing demand for food—and that really will be one of the challenges. Australia is well placed to meet that demand, but it must be kept in mind that we need to be abreast of all the innovations that come along and we must be prepared to embrace them, and we must be prepared to invest in human capital.

One thing the Nuffield agricultural scheme does so well is investing in the human capital that is required in agriculture. Any industry, I guess, requires human capital, but agriculture, in particular, has seen a decline in investment in human capital, and Nuffield is looking to take that up. In fact, it is possibly the greatest barrier that faces agriculture in the West.

Another concern of mine is the reduction in the spending in research and development. I was talking about innovation and the implementation of those developments, and I think that governments right across Australia, for whatever reason, have seen fit to reduce their investment in research and development, and that is a great shame.

We talk a lot about the increasing demand for food around the world and the fact that the world's population is set to increase by some 3 billion people over the next 45 years, and the efforts that will need to be made by the world's agricultural producers to meet the increased demand. I am not a supporter of the Malthusian predictions that come along from time to time. I suspect that we do, as a planet, have the capability to continue to feed the world. I think that much is made these days of food security as an issue; I think that food supply is a better terminology.

It is interesting to note that here in the Western World we can waste up to 30 per cent of the food that is produced—anywhere from the field at harvest time, where there are some losses, obviously, to those that are rejected along the production line. You have only to think of all the food halls, restaurants and even supermarkets around Australia and the rest of the Western World where food is thrown away each and every day. So, there is certainly capacity there to improve the delivery and distribution of food.

There are many people, particularly in Africa and South East Asia, who are malnourished and undernourished. Up to a billion people every day go to bed at night hungry, but I would suggest that it is not a lack of food that is causing that hunger; it is because they are poor. There are broader issues; it is not just about the production of food. With that investment in human capital that Nuffield has been so willing to commit to, I believe we can address all of these needs and ensure that agriculture has a bright and rosy future and that the world, in the years to come, despite a burgeoning population, is a better place.

So, congratulations to Nuffield—60 years on from the first Australian scholars, one of whom was a South Australian. It is very fitting, I think, that the Triennial International Conference is being held this year in South Australia.

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (12:09): I will speak briefly in support of the motion by the member for Flinders that recognises the fantastic work done over many years by the Nuffield Foundation. I am very aware of the activity of this group. In fact, I was a candidate myself once, many years ago, before the—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

Mr VENNING: Actually national service got in the road. I was called up to serve the country. Then I got married, and then the age gap excluded me. But I do very much recognise what this organisation has done in the provision of rural leadership across our state for all these years.

Back in those days, of course, we had Rural Youth, which we were all very active within. It had similar things in relation to providing leadership incentive schemes for young people, particularly the awards. The P&O award, the trip to the United Kingdom, was but one. My brother was one of the successful applicants for that many years ago. There were many other bursaries across many other countries, including the IFYE from America, a trip every two years to the United States for about four or five months fully funded. Most of the people who got those trips are very prominent members in the rural community today.

The Nuffield scholarship stood as the paramount scholarship. If you were a Nuffield scholar you could almost tack it on to the end of your name. If you got one, you could always say, 'Peter Treloar NF, or NA, because it does stick with you for the rest of your life. The member for Flinders did list them today and I again thank him for that. All these people, I find, have been very successful in leadership positions in our rural industries and also our rural communities. Bert Kelly, as was mentioned, was one. Bert was a very different sort of fellow. He came from Tarlee; he became a Nuffield scholar and a famous sort of bloke. He was elected to federal parliament and certainly he was always a strong advocate for the Nuffield scholarship.

I think today we need the Nuffield scholarship more than we did back when it was first formed 60 years ago. I think it is more important now because people are not stepping forward voluntarily into these leadership positions. This new generation, my sons included, are not looking to step forward into these leadership positions because they are all too busy at home on the farm trying to keep their business viable.

Mr Pengilly: Trying to make a quid.

Mr VENNING: Trying to make a quid; exactly right, as the member for Finniss says. Exactly right, but we need them to step out. We have to have them stepping out. You cannot leave it to old blokes like me, and even John Lush and others, to do it, because we need to keep our industries in young hands. Several members I know have been Nuffield scholars. We certainly need the Nuffield scholarship to be successful today, and I congratulate the member for Flinders on being a successful applicant for that and also for bringing it here today, and all those members who have been successful over those years.

Finally, the Nuffield tractor was not all that bad. I do not have one in my collection—not yet anyway—so if anybody knows of one, let me know. Lord Nuffield was very prominent, and also had a fair bit to do with the Ferguson tractor, which, of course, revolutionised agriculture across the world with its hydraulics. He was a credible person in his own right. I support the motion and commend the member for Flinders and congratulate the Nuffield Scholarship.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (12:13): I wish to make a brief contribution to support the motion by the member for Flinders. The Nuffield scholarship has been a noble institution for many years. Just recently, two members of my electorate—there may be more, but two that I know of—Mr Ben Tyley last year and Mr Andrew Heinrich (formerly of Yorke Peninsula), a couple of years ago, have won scholarships. Andrew Heinrich is very much an innovator in his farming business on the island, a leader in sheep production and crop production and a very successful operator. I believe that he is also farming some of the family land up round Bute as well.

It does present opportunities. There are far too few opportunities for rural people to have a crack, have a go and learn more. The Nuffield scholarship has been there for a long time—60 years, as mentioned by the member for Flinders. It has proved a great boon for the people who have been successful. I am sorry the member for Schubert never got one, but perhaps in a couple of years he might apply again.

Mr Venning: A bit late, mate.

Mr PENGILLY: However, I do not seek to detract from the motion in any way, shape or form because I hope that this continues for a long time. It is worthy of note that the conference is here in South Australia—at the moment, I think, the member for Flinders said. The very fact that it has come to South Australia is a good thing. As I said, the opportunity is for rural people around South Australia to have a crack and do the homework and then to go away.

I know that in Andrew Heinrich's case he went to many parts of the world, but I believe he particularly enjoyed the American experience. I think he went up into Canada. Indeed, he has just returned from another jaunt over there—this time taking his wife, Tracey. From the reports that were coming through on Facebook, they had a wonderful time. Andrew has certainly come back and imparted his knowledge to rural producers in South Australia. Even today in this week's edition of The Stock Journal, Andrew is in there promoting good stock management. He is a very good sheep man and stock man. I have great pleasure in supporting the motion.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (12:16): I will say a few quick words in support of the member for Flinders. I certainly do support his motion. I congratulate Nuffield Australia as part of a worldwide organisation. I would really like to highlight the importance of this scholarship, not only for the people who participate and the worthy scholars, but of course for the industry itself and our state, as well as Australia.

Agriculture still is the most important industry we have in South Australia. Everyone in this house should be very supportive of the other important industries such as manufacturing, retail, tourism, mining and others, but agriculture is still our most important industry—not only in terms of the wealth it creates for us but also with regard to the hundreds of communities across the state that are sustained by it.

I suppose we are all optimistic that mining may well take over from agriculture in coming years with regard to commercial contribution, but my point here is that in future when mining grows and takes over in a commercial sense, we should not let agriculture go. We should continue to support agriculture to grow, as mining and hopefully all other industries grow as well.

This Nuffield scholarship is really about providing the opportunity for Australians, and in our case South Australian farmers, to go overseas, gain experience, access technology, find out what people are doing on the other side of the world, and that can allow them to bring home some of the very best ideas and apply them here. It can also allow them to confirm some of the things we are doing here so that we continue with the deserving name of world's best practice, as we are in many ways in dryland farming.

We have to continue to support agriculture. I commend the sponsors of the Nuffield scholarship, primarily the volunteers who work to support it. I highlight the fact that the government has actually continued to reduce its funding, particularly in research and development, to PIRSA throughout this state, and I think that is a great shame. You cannot leave the valuable work to others whenever you find others who will contribute. The government's responsibility is to do the very best it can hand-in-hand with the others who will and can contribute. A hallmark of this government is that when you find segments of the community who will take responsibility, the government is quite happy to let their responsibilities go, and I think that is highlighted in agriculture in South Australia.

Again, congratulations to Nuffield. I think that it is a credit to my very good friend the member for Flinders to put this motion forward. Probably even better than the motion that he has put forward, he is a tremendous personal advertisement for the Nuffield organisation. I think the fact that our Governor-General Quentin Bryce is the patron for Nuffield Australia again establishes what a fine organisation this must be. I wholeheartedly support the motion.

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (12:19): I commend the member for Flinders for this motion. Members may not know that, in my youth, I was a member of Rural Youth; I think that is what the Deputy Speaker was alluding to. It was a long time ago. I have always been particularly passionate about horticulture, and I tried my hand at agriculture at Alford, but fate intervened. In the days of my youth, Blackwood had a Rural Youth branch; I came across the badge only the other day, and I will wear it in here one day to get the member for Schubert excited.

Nuffield Tractors had a chequered career. I do not think it ever reached the level of others like Case and John Deere. This is not a personal attack on Lord Nuffield, but when my sister was appointed to be in charge of the hospital at Karoonda she bought a Morris Minor which had a massive 850 cc capacity. I do not want to offend the Nuffield family, or the Nuffield organisation, but, when I was a teenager, because that Morris Minor was unable to transport the family up Upper Sturt Road I had to stay at home. That has had a big impact on my mental wellbeing—being rejected as a result of Lord Nuffield, but I will put that aside.

The Nuffield scholarship is a great thing. As the member for Stuart pointed out, what we have seen in recent times, unfortunately and regrettably, is a cut-back in research by state and federal governments. Research should be increased, not cut back, to ensure that our farming practices (by 'farming' I include horticulture and the whole caboodle) continue to improve. Australia and South Australia have led the world in many aspects of agriculture, not only in what has been developed and used here but also by people going overseas and sharing with others their expertise in areas such as dryland farming. The member for Bragg's late father was instrumental in giving information and advice in other parts of the world about dryland farming techniques.

We have pioneered a lot of things here such as new techniques for seeding and minimal tillage and, in horticulture, Tatura trellising, the V-shaped trellising that came out of Victoria but was adopted here. We have pioneered and developed a lot of things in Australia and South Australia, but in recent years we have seen a lack of understanding and commitment by state and federal governments to support research and development in agriculture and horticulture, with some of the research stations either being shut down or going to be shut down, and I think that is regrettable.

This means that scholarships such as the Nuffield scholarship are even more important to allow progressive farmers—young farmers, in particular—to find out what is happening elsewhere and to take their expertise and share it with others around the world. Anyone who takes an interest in world affairs knows that the pressure is going to be on over the next few decades to feed the world's population.

We are in an important position to help, but that will only be possible if we keep up with the science and the research, and that includes sending agricultural young people overseas to improve their skills and knowledge and share it with others around the world. I commend this motion—despite the fact that Lord Nuffield or his company denied me the opportunity to travel to Karoonda in his underpowered Morris Minor all those years ago.

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (12:24): I rise to support the motion congratulating Nuffield Australia on the 60th anniversary of its first Nuffield farming scholar. I would like to begin by referring to what is essentially the mission statement of the Nuffield scholarship and what role the scholarship plays in South Australia's vast agricultural sector.

The long-term capacity of Australian agriculture to compete and succeed internationally will be determined by the ability of Australian farmers to recognise changing consumer preferences, adopt new technologies and production practices, and maintain the sustainability of their operations by protecting their production environment. I should just say that, on hearing the speakers before me, this is obviously something that many members in this house, particularly in the opposition, understand well.

They need to increase their confidence levels in order to support their instinctive judgement and adaptations necessary to grow, and providing young farmers with this knowledge and confidence is the very core of what the Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarship program offers to our farming community. I have to make a pronouncement here that I have never been a member of Rural Youth, so I am very sad that I have not had that opportunity.

Mr Pederick: It would have made you a better person.

The Hon. S.W. KEY: And it probably shows. As the member for Hammond says, it would probably have made me a better person, but there you go.

Mr Pederick: You might have even come over to this side.

The Hon. S.W. KEY: I think that's a bit radical. The member says I might have come over to that side. I don't think so, although there are a number of agrarian socialists, as I understand it. I don't know about over that side; there might be. Nuffield scholars have continuously demonstrated that they have the skills and passion required to learn about international agricultural markets. These scholarships allow the recipients to better manage their operations for the future growth of their business and share their success with the community and industry.

The Nuffield Farming Scholarship program is very targeted and a proven way of investing directly in the advancement of Australian agriculture. The benefits of the Nuffield scholarship do not cease on the scholar's return to Australia, and we have already heard testaments about that. Rather, as a consequence of his or her experience, the scholar is generally committed to lifelong involvement in the international Nuffield network driven by a thirst for continued learning.

Nuffield Australia Farming Scholars is a non-profit organisation administered professionally but supported by voluntary contributions made by its membership. The government also congratulates Nuffield Australia on the 60th anniversary of its first farming scholar. South Australia has been a very strong supporter of Nuffield scholarships with many very high profile people travelling around the world to study new farming practices and bringing these back to Australia.

It is an excellent opportunity for South Australian agriculture to gain firsthand experience on what is happening overseas. We are increasingly being exposed to global competition and the main way our agricultural sector will remain profitable, competitive and sustainable will be to ensure that our farming systems and enterprises remain ahead of the global pack.

I congratulate the member for Flinders—a very fine member—on his success in being awarded the Nuffield scholarship in 2002. His project was 'Investigation of value-adding opportunities and the study of grain industry structures' through a study trip to Canada and the US. I also congratulate Andrew Johnson, a leading Upper South-East livestock producer, who is currently a member of the board.

There have been many past recipients of the scholarship, with the list reading like the Who's Who of South Australian agriculture. Names such as Bert Kelly, Neil Andrew, Brett Roberts, Lynton Arney, Neil Smith, Trevor Day and Mark Modra come to mind. That also raises for me whether there have been any women who have received the Nuffield scholarship. I am sure the member for Flinders covered that in his contribution. I congratulate the organisation on reaching 60 years of supporting South Australian agriculture and all the recipients of the scholarship. I therefore commend the motion to be supported.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:29): I too wish to support the motion by the member for Flinders that this house congratulates both Nuffield Australia on the 60th anniversary of its first Nuffield farming scholar, and Nuffield International on holding its triennial international conference in South Australia in September this year. Nuffield is about scholarships for Australian primary producers, and Nuffield Australia—

An honourable member: Young ones.

Mr PEDERICK: Yes, young ones—is part of a unique global network of farmers. Nuffield Australia Farming Scholars provides a scholarship scheme for the benefit of the Australian farming community, and through the adoption of local and international best practice and continuous development of a network of industry leaders and innovators, the scholarship scheme promotes excellence in all aspects of Australian agricultural production, distribution and management. A Nuffield farming scholarship is a world experience, and a continuing benefit to past and present scholars.

I would just like to say that it does promote excellence in our farming colleagues. I congratulate the member for Flinders (Peter Treloar) on conducting a trip in 2002 to study the grain industry, and just having a brief look at the executive summary of his report, he certainly makes some apt considerations about the ownership of grain companies across the world.

I notice that, at the end of the report, he talks about farmers keeping control of their companies. I note that this was a report filed in 2004; how much the world has changed in that time. Sadly, we see that here in South Australia we have, as farmers, lost control over some of our grain handling companies. We certainly see, in Western Australia, with co-operative bulk handling, that the farmers in the west have fought to keep control of that structure, and I applaud them for that.

I would also like to acknowledge Andrew Johnson, who is a colleague and friend of mine from Tintinara and who is very much involved in the pig industry. He is another Nuffield scholar who has been and will continue to be an excellent contributor to agriculture, always striving for excellence. I note a couple of the scholars from this year: Linda Eldredge—who I think is from around the Clare region, and I am pretty sure I knew her in Rural Youth many years ago—and Robin Schaefer from the Mallee. I have heard Robin Schaefer—

Mr Whetstone: Old girlfriend?

Mr PEDERICK: Robin is a male and no, Linda is not an ex-girlfriend, I can assure you; she would probably be appalled!

The Hon. R.B. Such: We've only got half an hour.

Mr PEDERICK: I would like to absolutely congratulate Robin Schaefer on his success in becoming a Nuffield scholar. I have had the opportunity to hear Robin speak on a couple of occasions about setting up his practice for no-till farming. He is a Mallee farmer and he knows he has to extract not just every dollar, but every cent out of his soil, and do it sustainably. He is a really switched-on farmer, and I really do congratulate him on winning this scholarship.

The Nuffield program, as I have said before, promotes excellence in Australia and also through overseas connections, and I note that the triennial conference is here in Adelaide this week. I fully congratulate the organisation for that, because anything we can do to promote agriculture is a good thing, especially in times where we see the state government here take so much money away from primary industries, as we have seen in recent years. Sadly, the agriculture industry is learning more and more that it has to stand on its own feet without much government support.

I would like to congratulate Nuffield International, and also Nuffield Australia, as I think they do great work. It promotes lifelong friendships that will go on forever, with people who meet from across the world. It promotes networks of excellence in agriculture that can only benefit the agriculture scene, not just in this country but right across the world. I commend the motion.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (12:34): I too rise to support the motion by the member for Flinders. He is obviously an outstanding primary producer over on the Eyre Peninsula. Again, the Nuffield scholarship has been an institution right around the country not only with food but also with techniques and the way that we here in South Australia farm. It really is about bringing the regions in the agriculture sector to the forefront of excellence.

Nuffield scholars all seem to have similar characteristics: they have an R&D bent and also a huge amount of passion for the industry that surrounds them. In many senses it is about a lifestyle. Many farmers today do not want to talk about a lifestyle of farming because it is a very serious business. The Nuffield scholarships presented to primary producers really are recognition for their contribution to the industry. They are also recognition that they are prepared to embrace innovation and new techniques, but most of all they are about excellence within primary production and moving their industry forward.

Being given a scholarship means they are given an opportunity to travel, and in many cases they travel the world to look at how they can improve on what they do and, more importantly, bring back the message to their fellow farmers and be a conduit in that they can actually portray that there are better techniques and better ways out there to help their fellow farmers to compete on the world stage. Today, it is a very competitive world we live in with the production of the primary industry, but it is about survival: if you do not have the latest techniques, latest methods and the will to change, you will be left behind.

I note that the good member for Flinders received the award in 2002 on the grain industry structure and, as the member for Hammond said, he was very vocal about the grain producers keeping ownership of their marketers, keeping ownership of the industry, which has sadly slipped through their fingers over the last few years. A constituent of mine, John Gladigau, up in the Mallee was awarded the Nuffield scholarship, and he too has brought back a lot of new advice. He has also brought back a lot of new techniques.

His speciality was collaborative farming. It is about a lot of the farmers who have been through tough times not being able to upgrade machinery, not being able to access new techniques and new information. It is about sharing the information, about going to your neighbour and working together. It is about sharing equipment, sharing information and technology and, essentially, it really is about embracing the local region you are a part of and pulling it through those not always tough times and making sure you lend a helping hand and, in some cases, a helping ear to the betterment of not only the industry but also your local community and economy.

Of those who have travelled, many have spoken to the wider farming and primary production industries, a little like the member for Flinders addressing the conference earlier this week in Adelaide. It is great to see that he can share some of the huge amount of knowledge and expertise he has. At the moment, one of the big issues that will confront not only South Australia and Australia but the world is food—food security and food production. We need to look at new techniques and new types of food. We need to embrace something outside the square, something other than that which has been traditionally embraced for centuries with the way we farm, the techniques we use and the methods we embrace.

The Nuffield scholarship program is a very worthy program and something that will move with the times. Again, it must be embraced by all sectors of the primary production industry. I commend the motion to the house.

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (12:40): I, too, support the motion moved by the member for Flinders, and congratulate him on him being a previous scholarship winner. I will not traverse the area that has been covered by my colleagues; I certainly agree with everything that has been said. I think the member for Chaffey touched on something very important, which I want to bring to the attention of the house because it concerns us all and it concerns the future of the state, and that is our ability to continue to be very efficient agricultural producers and to continue to export agricultural product to the world.

We do not find ourselves in this position by accident. We find ourselves in this position because those who came here in the early days and started farming were innovative. I guess the old adage about necessity being the mother of invention applied greatly to those people, and, because of that innovation which started from the very outset of farming in this state, South Australia developed a number of institutions which put us at the forefront of innovation in agriculture, such as, our plant breeding centres. Most of that work has been done at the Waite for years, but we have now included at the Waite the Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, which is again something that should enable us to stay at the forefront.

The broad range of public research has historically been done in South Australia under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture and more recently PIRSA, SARDI and our universities. Unfortunately, the government funding going towards all of that research has been cut so much in recent years, you could be excused for believing that this government has no understanding of rural South Australia and particularly the part that agriculture plays in rural South Australia.

I make these comments because the Nuffield scholarship, to some extent, fills that void, because it allows young practising farmers to travel to other places to pick up ideas, look at what other innovative farmers are doing and bring that knowledge back, not only for their own enterprise but to disseminate that knowledge amongst the farming community. Again, it was the dissemination of knowledge which brought South Australian farmers to the level of efficiency that they have enjoyed in recent years; however, there has been a failure by the current government in South Australia to continue that practice.

PIRSA used to have a fantastic extension service. It is one thing to have knowledge and to do research and gain new knowledge, but it is absolutely useless if the practitioners in the field are unaware of it. It is absolutely useless if it is not demonstrated to those practitioners in the field the benefits of that new knowledge and how to apply it on their own properties, bearing in mind that the application of new technology varies greatly from one part of the state to another. There are different soils and different climates in the various regions.

The extension service provided by Primary Industries SA, combined with its own research centres, has played a huge role in ensuring that South Australian farmers stay at the forefront of their industry and can compete on world markets in a way that they are able to make a viable living off their farmland.

A significant part of the arable land in South Australia is probably the most inhospitable land farmed anywhere in the world, but we have developed fantastic systems to be able to farm that land in the climate that we have, and do it profitably. However, I would argue that unless the state understands this we stand a good chance, in the not too distant future, of losing the ability to compete on world markets simply because we do not even keep up with best practice and latest technology, or indeed be out in front of the pack. That is where we have been, that is where we need to remain, and that is where we should be.

It is no good saying that South Australia's future relies on the mining industry and the defence industry if we allow the traditional industries that have carried this state for so long to wither and disappear. We do need the mining industry, we do need the defence industry, but we also need those industries that have been here supporting South Australia, and helping to build the state, for the last 180 years. We need those industries to prosper not only to feed ourselves, but to make sure that we can export to the rest of the world and bring export dollars in, so that we can continue to build this state as a fantastic place to live, work and play.

I, too, add my congratulations to the Nuffield Foundation. The work it does is even more important today than it ever has been before, because there has been a void left by the government here in South Australia in recent times, a void that will undermine our economic prosperity as we go forward unless it is filled. The Nuffield Foundation is, unfortunately, unable to fill the whole of that void, but I think its importance is greater than it ever has been before. I congratulate all those involved and all those who have taken the opportunity to apply for scholarships, and particularly those who have subsequently been awarded scholarships and who have been able to bring back knowledge and disseminate that amongst their colleagues in their various industries here in South Australia. That, at least, continues to help and aid our farming community to do what it does very well.

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (12:47): I would like to thank all the other members from both sides of the house for their contributions to and support of this motion. It would be remiss of me if I did not mention, in these closing remarks, the fact that Western Australia is also having one week of this triennial conference. So congratulations to them as well; they are also doing an equal amount of work in the week following this. From South Australia the international delegates travel across to Western Australia, some by plane and some by train—

Mr Venning: Are you going?

Mr TRELOAR: No, I am not; I do not have time to attend the whole conference, unfortunately, as much as I would love to. I think this motion has given us all the opportunity to highlight the value of agriculture and the importance of food production generally. I can assure the member for Ashford that we do have some female scholars on our books, and the numbers of female scholars are in fact growing year by year. I can assure the member of that, and I also thank her for her contribution.

Some members have made reference to both Morris cars and Nuffield tractors—and those mentions have not always been made fondly, I have to say. However, I am sure that as the years go on their memories will become fonder. Really, it is a credit to Lord Nuffield and his innovation in those very early days that such a foundation was able to come into existence.

As has been mentioned, particularly by the member for MacKillop in his remarks, we do have some challenges for agriculture here in Australia. There is falling investment in R&D, we farm in a particularly difficult landscape and environment in some cases, our climate often conspires against us, and the political environment for agriculture is not always easy. But we remain competitive, we remain productive, and we remain very conscious that we need to operate in a global marketplace. The Nuffield scholarship scheme gives that investment into human capital that will help us maintain that productivity and competitiveness. So, congratulations to Nuffield. With that, I commend the motion.

Motion carried.

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