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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-05-29 Daily Xml
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China Trade Mission

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:14): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier update the house on his recent trip to China and how South Australian businesses will benefit from the government's pro-trade policies?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:14): I thank the member for Flinders. He comes from an excellent electorate, one which is very much focused on exporting out of South Australia to other jurisdictions around the world to bring money into our state. I would like to commend him for his efforts in supporting the businesses in his electorate to make sure that we maximise the opportunities for international trade. I did make my first international trip as the Premier of South Australia recently, when I travelled to Shanghai for a mission which I think is absolutely critically important to our state.

When we look at the statistics of the performance of the previous government and as a state as a whole, we haven't done well in terms of our exports to China. It is of course the largest trading partner for our nation, but when we look at the last four years of exports from South Australia to China, it's gone down every single year for the last four years. In fact, our trendline over the last five years is the only state in Australia where our trendline is actually in negative territory—the only state in Australia. Tasmania is doing better. Queensland is doing better. Western Australia is doing better. New South Wales is doing better and, of course, so is Victoria. We are at the bottom of the class in terms of the performance of trade with China.

But the good news is that there was a change of government on 17 March. We have a government with an ambition to actually grow our exports to China—and more than just talk about it, we are doing something about it. So it was great after the last—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Sorry?

Mr Koutsantonis: You went to a footy game.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Well, that's just typical, isn't it? This really gives an insight, doesn't it, into the way that the opposition thinks about overseas trade missions: a trip to a footy club.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That's what the Leader of the Opposition thinks because he comes from a party where that is the way that they think. Every overseas trip was a junket for them. Every single overseas trip was a junket for them, and that's why South Australia's trade was going backwards under their hopeless administration of our state. I am very proud to lead a government that is focused on growing exports, because we know on this side of the house that when you grow your exports you actually grow income here in South Australia, you grow jobs and you keep young people here in our state.

It was a very, very productive trip. I travelled to Shanghai and I met with Professor Chen, the vice mayor of Shanghai. I immediately discussed with him the establishment of a South Australian office, a stand-alone South Australian office, so that we could maximise the opportunities of this incredible market, one which had been neglected by those opposite. More than that, I did meet with Mr Allan Zeman, who flew from Hong Kong to attend the meeting. I note that he had a relationship with the former premier, and he spoke very positively about the relationship that he had with the former premier. He has done some work envisaging an opportunity for us in South Australia at Cleland park.

Yes, I did attend a football match. I went to see the Port Adelaide Football Club play the Gold Coast Suns, and they won: four points, no injuries. This was an excellent initiative by the Port Adelaide Football Club. I think that there is a growing opportunity for sport-led diplomacy and sport-led trade, and I would like to commend the people of the Port Adelaide Football Club for taking this risk. I think it is going to turn into a wonderful opportunity, not only for the club but for the people of South Australia. Also attending that match was Australia's ambassador to China, with Steve Ciobo, the federal Minister for Trade. It was a great opportunity, and I think there will be many positive outcomes from this visit for years to come.

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