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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-18 Daily Xml
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FOOD SCORECARD

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER (15:15): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about the Food ScoreCard.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER: I think most of us know that 10 years ago the State Food Plan was set up, with a target of reaching $15 billion of gross food revenue for South Australia by 2010. Several weeks ago, this year's food card, which is an indication of the performance each year, was released. With it came a press release from the minister which said something like, 'South Australia reaches a record and astonishing $12 billion'—and that is to be commended.

However, a cursory look at the scorecard which, I might add, used to be broken down to individual industries, regions and products and which is now an eight page document, shows that the average gross food revenue growth over the nine year period to date has been 5.7 per cent per annum. The current 2008-09 GFR is stated to be up by $1 billion (that is, 9 per cent) and the scorecard crows that that is a record level. However, the next paragraph in the Food ScoreCard states:

Being a figure expressed in nominal terms, it is estimated that around half of the annual growth in GFR was the result of domestic food price inflation—

and this is in italics in the government's very own scorecard—

Thus real GFR growth over the year is estimated at 3.4%.

So, in real terms, the actual revenue has indeed fallen. This is illustrated on page 5 of this very small document, where it shows farm gate revenue and the following details: field crops are back by 24 per cent on last year; wheat by 23 per cent; barley by 17 per cent; dairy by 8 per cent; potatoes by 1 per cent; other vegetables by 11 per cent; citrus by 8 per cent; cucumbers and capsicums by 1 per cent; bluefin tuna by 15 per cent; and so on. The total primary production loss is an average of 4 per cent. My questions are:

1. Given these figures, does the minister agree that his press release and announcement with regard to the Food ScoreCard was misleading?

2. Does he agree that on current trends the South Australian food industry will fall short of its 2010 target by between 10 and 15 per cent?

3. Why has the wine industry scorecard, which was presented to the minister at about the same time as the Food ScoreCard, not been published?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:19): I will pass on those questions to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries in another place and bring back a reply.

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