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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-09-27 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Industrial Hemp

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation. Given the Industrial Hemp Act was passed in this parliament in April this year and given assent in May this year, why is it yet still to commence? Can the minister assure growers that they will be able to get crops in the ground by the end of the calendar year?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for her question and her ongoing interest and support in the promotion of a potential new industry for South Australia, the industrial hemp industry. I acknowledge that it was the honourable member's private member's bill that she brought to this chamber that helped to get us to where we are now.

As the honourable member outlined, the Industrial Hemp Act, which provides for the authorisation and regulation of the cultivation and processing of hemp products, was passed by parliament in April this year. The regime that the act set up required regulations to regulate and license the industry. Accompanying regulations have been drafted and have been consulted on with a view to establishing that licensing system. It is anticipated that the new industrial hemp regulations will be in place in the near future.

Commencement of the industrial hemp regulations is expected to occur before the end of this year. Once producers are granted the licence through the new scheme, they will be able to begin planting from this time. The honourable member might also be interested to know that we are not just waiting for this to happen to try to promote it and industry in this area. There has been recent collaboration in terms of trials, so that we give the best possible chance once the regulations are passed by this place and licences are granted.

I understand there has been collaboration between Primary Industries and Regions SA, the Department of State Development, the Cannabis Council of SA and the Industrial Hemp Association of SA to undertake trials based on new hemp varieties and cultivars. I am advised that these trials will be undertaken with interim permits issued under the Controlled Substances Act. I am advised that trial sites will be located in Loxton and Kybybolite and it is expected that a number of plantings will be undertaken in mid-October this year, with subsequent plantings every month until February.

I am advised that Adelaide University has been engaged to undertake analysis of 20 different hemp seed varieties to provide guidance on the selection of varieties for the trial to assess the range of characteristics, and I understand that that work has already assisted in selecting the five varietals for the planting of those initial trials so that when we have those regulations later this year there is some evidence for growers to base their selection and choice of crops should they choose to plant crops as soon as possible when licences are granted.

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