Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-03-27 Daily Xml

Contents

RIVERBANK PRECINCT

In reply to the Hon. T.A. FRANKS (1 March 2012).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women): I am advised:

1. Waste minimisation is a priority for the Adelaide Convention Centre who aim to reuse and recycle at least 90 per cent of event waste. The Centre was the first Australian convention centre to implement the following initiatives:

Donations to FoodBank SA and OzHarvest—By the end of the last financial year, the ACC had donated 31,550 individual meals to FoodBank SA (a not for profit organisation which coordinates the donation of food and groceries to welfare organisations around the State). In addition to this, since March 2011, the Centre donated 2,393kg of food or 7,896 meals to OzHarvest to feed people in the community experiencing disadvantage. Both of these initiatives are continuing this financial year.

Worm Farm—since mid 2008, the ACC's worms have consumed over 14.552 tonnes of organic waste and produced 1,283 litres of worm juice and 3,599 kg of casting which has been used as fertiliser on the Centre's gardens.

I am advised by the ACC that as the event in question (the official opening of the new Regattas Bistro + Bar and the Panorama Suite) was a stand up event with limited finger food served, very little food was left over. Health regulations require that only food that has been prepared for an event, and has not been delivered to the guests, can be reconstituted provided to FoodBank SA and OzHarvest. Any food left on plates or food byproducts left over from the preparation of meals from within the kitchen are segregated from other waste and are directed to the worm farm.

For the Regattas opening, the minimal leftovers were directed to the worm farm.