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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-11-13 Daily Xml
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FOOD AND WINE INDUSTRY

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:11): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about food and wine.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The state government continues to support and showcase South Australia's quality food and wine, as the Hon. David Ridgway often acknowledges in this chamber and quite frequently indulges in. My question is, will the minister inform the—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: He's a very big supporter of our state's wine and food industry and I think that's to be commended. Will the minister inform the chamber of a new policy that supports our local food and wine sectors?

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) (15:12): This government is committed to building a stronger food and wine sector in South Australia. We have made premium food and wine from our clean environment one of this government's seven key strategic priorities to secure South Australia's position as a producer of premium food and wine from a clean environment—clean air, clean water and clean soil—and to capitalise on the increasing global demand for premium products.

We have launched an action plan that establishes a framework of activities and seeks to address the challenges and grow the opportunities in the food and wine industry. We are not sitting around thinking about an action plan, like Mr Steven Marshall, who thinks he might put an action plan together. We already have one, we are rolling it out and we are producing actions on the ground. We are delivering on the ground, not thinking about devising an action plan. We have done it. We are rolling it out and we are producing the goods on the ground, in every area.

Last week, I announced with the Premier a number of new policies that support our food and wine initiatives, part of this government's series of policies aimed at building a stronger South Australia. One of those we have talked about today, the sterile insect technology. Another is a new 'buy local' policy. This policy will give preferred status to local food, wine and beverages at events and functions where catering is provided and it is feasible and reasonable to do so.

The state government wants to support and showcase South Australia's quality food and wine as occasions arise, and this policy will be put in place for all government agencies and ministers' offices to promote the use of local produce at functions and through the many sponsorship events that we assist with.

To support the policy, a toolkit will be developed by Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) that will help guide government agencies in how to buy local. The toolkit will utilise the government funded Food Users' Guide and will provide support to help establish whether selecting South Australian produce is possible and how to identify and promote local products at sponsored events.

As I have said in this place before, the food and wine industries employ one in five workers, generate $16 billion in revenue each year, and account for 42 per cent of merchandise exports and are working towards a globally preferred supplier status in key local, interstate and overseas markets. This is exactly the sort of initiative that will help farmers, as the Hon. Robert Brokenshire just stated. This is exactly the sort of thing that assists our local farmers, who benefit from buying local because it means we are buying their produce, which is a great thing for their markets.

It is great for the environment, too, because these things can help us reduce our environmental footprint through reducing the transportation needed to access foreign markets. So, it is a real win-win for everybody. Our farmers love this and are very supportive of these types of programs. Formalising this policy is just another way the government is showing its support to this important sector. South Australia has some of the best produce in the world, and this policy will help ensure that attending a government-related event means they will get to experience our premium food, wine and beverages.

I acknowledge that not all items or ingredients can be local, as availability and price will be factors in selection, but encouraging the use of South Australian produce will lead to benefits for local companies and our local farmers, local communities and, of course, our regions, because most of this activity actually happens out in regions. For example, the Adelaide Convention Centre spends $4.3 million annually on food and beverages currently, and 98 per cent of that is sourced locally. They do a fabulous job there, meaning manufactured, owned or supplied by a South Australian company. They also have the fabulous worm farm, so they are very good at recycling.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: You'd know a lot about worms—you hang around with a fair few.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yeah, I sit and look at one each day across the chamber, Mr President, for example.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I also was incredibly pleased to see this policy welcomed by the Local Government Association, and I note the comments by the president of the South Australian Regional—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Yes, David O'Loughlin, a Labor stooge!

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway! There is only one stooge in here.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: He is a joke. I note the comments by the president of the South Australian Regional Organisation of Councils, Wakefield mayor James Maitland.

An honourable member: Good man.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: He is a good man, too. I quote James:

Primary producers and secondary food and beverage industries would receive a welcome boost from this initiative, which would have whole of regional community benefits.

That is the president of the South Australian Regional Organisation of Councils, mayor James Maitland. Once the toolkit is developed, opportunities will be explored for expanding the policy beyond state government, for example, to local government and major function venues. I notice that the LGA came out and gave support to this campaign, and is considering doing similar things.

This government is getting on with the job of doing all it can to protect our food and wine from threats, to boost productivity and to make sure that the world knows that buying South Australian means buying high quality, premium produce with, of course, fabulous environmental and biosecurity credentials.

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