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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-03-07 Daily Xml
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Question Time

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN SEAFOOD

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question regarding South Australian seafood.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: She is obsessed with your lips.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Is she? Well, they are beautiful lips, I know, but no need to be obsessed with them.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: It's been 20 seconds and they are into it, Mr President. On 18 December—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I would listen if I were you, minister. On 18 December 2012, the minister said, 'South Australian food can be sourced from a huge variety of locations, including the Adelaide Central Market.' The minister is also on the record as saying, 'South Australians are spoilt for home-grown choice.' In the lead-up to Christmas, the minister encouraged South Australians to eat South Australian seafood, including 'a seafood platter gloriously piled with smoked salmon, marinated calamari and octopus and Spencer Gulf king prawns'. Further, the minister explained the benefits of sourcing our food from within our state. Again, I quote:

Buying local food and beverages supports our farmers and producers, which in turn helps generate income, create jobs, build our regions, and boost our economy.

On 11 February this year, the minister claimed that the South Australian's strategic priority of premium food and wine was one of the seven key areas of which the state government was focusing its efforts.

My question is: on 1 March this year, at one of the state's premier tourism sporting events, the Clipsal V8 race, why were the guests in the South Australian government's own suite served Queensland barramundi?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:23): I thank the honourable member for his question.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: It's a pretty important question—practise what you preach.

The PRESIDENT: He's not listening, minister, but you can tell me.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I thank the member for his question; it does beggar belief. We do attempt, where we can, to promote our local produce. We do, from time to time, also source food from elsewhere. As I said, our practice is that wherever possible we source local. I don't know what went behind the decisions made at the Clipsal V8. I am not responsible for ordering food there. As Minister for Food and Fisheries, I promote wherever possible to eat local. We do have a fabulous range of beautiful produce. On many occasions, we do serve local food. Our Convention Centre prides itself on being predominantly local. Their track record for local produce is truly remarkable, not just in terms of the food they serve, but also the wines as well are predominantly local.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Predominantly but not all though.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I think that about 99 per cent, or close to that, is local wine. This is a very good practice, and it does promote local industry and it can also help reduce our carbon footprint by reducing freight costs and suchlike.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Does the honourable member really want us to be a state that is exclusive? If that is what he is saying, that his government, when in government, will be exclusively SA then South Australia is going to be terribly disadvantaged in relation to other states because we promote very much our food to other states. If every other state around Australia moved to an exclusive South Australian position, we would be considerably disadvantaged because we rely heavily on other states importing our fresh produce. In light of that, it is reasonable that we do purchase food from other states from time to time, and we do that.

With respect to the Clipsal V8, the Minister for Recreation and Sport, I believe, is the minister responsible for that. I am very happy to refer the question to that minister in another place and bring back a response.

The PRESIDENT: I might add that the barramundi was delicious, minister. David, did you have any?

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: It was from Queensland, nonetheless.

The PRESIDENT: You didn't have any?

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: No.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Lensink.

The Hon. R.P. Wortley: Pretty hard to eat barramundi after seven dozen oysters.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: You idiot. There were no oysters there on Friday. Sunday when you had your snout right in it they were there, but not on Friday.

The PRESIDENT: Finished?

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Not yet.

The PRESIDENT: Well, you keep going. Your deputy leader is on her feet, and I am waiting to give her the call. The Hon. Ms Lensink.

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