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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-06-03 Daily Xml
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GEOLOGICAL EXPERTS

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (15:21): My question is to the Leader of the Government, the Minister for Mineral Resources Development. Will the minister provide details of the government's success in attracting geological experts to work in South Australia?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:21): The long-run rise in commodity prices triggered a mining boom that has led to a massive increase in investment in minerals exploration. South Australia, thanks to the policies of this government, has played a significant role in attracting explorers and investment that is being translated into new mines within this state; 11 are now operating compared to four when we came to office, and our expectation is that this number will rise in the short term to 16. That is a four-fold increase, I should point out, on the number of operating mines in this state when we came to government.

This has dramatically lifted the share the mining sector contributes to the state's overall economic growth to the point where minerals now exceed wine to be South Australia's leading export commodity. All this investment has created hundreds of jobs, both at the mines and in the industries that support and rely on the minerals and resources sector. Of course, one of the consequences of this increase in vitality within the minerals sector is the increased competition, both locally and overseas, for qualified professionals in some very specialised fields. That is why it is quite a coup for South Australia and for Primary Industries and Resources SA that we are still able to attract professional expertise to the public sector despite the demand from private industry.

Recently, Dr Tim Baker was appointed to the position of Geological Survey Manager within the Minerals and Energy Resources Division of PIRSA. Dr Baker brings more than 15 years of experience in industry and academia to the Geological Survey. The distinguished South Australian Geological Survey only last year celebrated 125 years of government geoscience in South Australia and is well regarded around the world for its dynamic and innovative geoscience program. It is also recognised as the geoscience engine room for South Australia's highly successful plan for accelerating exploration, or PACE.

Dr Baker is an experienced exploration geologist who has also been actively involved in research and consulting on a wide range of base and precious metal mineral deposit types. He joins PIRSA from his most recent role in industry as an exploration manager for Sovereign Metals. Dr Baker has received international awards for his work, has been published in international journals and regularly presents industry short courses on mineral deposits. Dr Baker is one of four Australian recipients of the prestigious Lindgren Award from the International Society of Economic Geologists.

His most recent accolade was accepting the 2009 Canadian Institute of Mining Barlow Memorial Medal at the CIM conference in Toronto, Canada, in May this year. This prestigious award is given for the best paper on economic geology published by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum in any given year. Dr Baker's achievements and reputation in mineral deposit geology ensures a very positive contribution to the government and to the resources sector in this state. I am very excited that a geologist of Dr Baker's calibre is joining the team at PIRSA and the South Australian Geological Survey, and I wish him all the best in his new role.

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