Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-11-15 Daily Xml

Contents

GLENCOE NURSERY

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Forests a further question regarding the Glencoe nursery.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: This week the minister tabled the ForestrySA annual report, which shows that in 2011-12 the Glencoe nursery produced over 5 million open-rooted seedlings, container seedlings and cuttings for ForestrySA use and external sales during the 2012 planting season. An additional investment in seed orchard capacity has helped to ensure that the best genetic material is available into the future. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given that nursery management is already under contract until only 2014—that is, that nursery management and staff, I understand, only have a contract until 2014—what assurances did the government obtain for the nursery management and staff prior to signing off on privatising the nursery?

2. How much was the Glencoe nursery making from seedlings sold to the private sector?

3. What assurances has the government received from the Campbell Group about prices from the nursery to its remaining ForestrySA operations and, in turn, on the prices that the nursery will charge for seedlings to the private foresters?

4. Was due diligence work done on whether it was in the interests of forestry and the government to keep the nursery?

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) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for his questions. Due diligence was done on all matters under the contract. That was done through Treasury, and a team of people were involved in that, so I can certainly assure the honourable member of that. In relation to the other detailed questions, I am happy to take those on notice and bring back a response.