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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-08-27 Daily Xml
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Australian Native Plants

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (15:40): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about SARDI's work in developing the Australian native plants basic care and user guide?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:40): I thank the honourable member for her question. Australian First Nations communities have known for thousands of years the importance of bush tucker and bush medicine plants. Knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation through storytelling and experience, forming the basis for First People's diets for thousands of years.

Recently, PIRSA and SARDI teamed up with Red Centre Enterprises to create a basic care and user guide for a range of Australian native plants. Authored by Yuandamarra and SARDI Crop Sciences and Entomology Program Leader, Dr Peter Crisp, the guide highlights the potential that Australian native plants have to become a regular part of our diet, as well as a sustainable part of our agricultural and horticultural landscape.

The collaboration between SARDI and Red Centre Enterprises, First Nations elders and communities aims to increase awareness and preserve knowledge of Australian native food and medicine plants, which in turn may assist communities in developing commercial agricultural and horticultural enterprises, which has the potential to create employment and income streams.

The guide was launched during an event at SARDI's Waite Campus during NAIDOC Week, alongside iconic South Australian company Spring Gully's launch of their Australian native-inspired sauces, like bush tomato, quandong chilli sauce and lemon myrtle sauce. The guide covers over 20 different bush tucker and bush medicine plants from across Australia, some of which are increasingly being used in modern cooking and food products, including lemongrass, lemon myrtle, aniseed myrtle, curry myrtle, Kakadu plum, quandong, bush tomato, saltbush and peppermint, as well as a range of other incredible Australian native plants.

For each of the bush tucker plants included in the guide, it explains what it pairs well with, whether it's a pollinator, attracts butterflies, its water tolerance and its edibility. It lists the flavour, taste and aroma for each—for example, saltbush, where the guide explains its salty flavour, earthy undertones and subtle notes of green tea with a soft, savoury, salt-like taste on the front palette with earthy notes and an earthy aroma with notes of green tea and kelp. For each example of bush tucker, the guide also explains how it was used on country in First Nations traditions.

It's an extremely useful guide set out in an easy-to-read format that will be of great use to anyone who wants to explore and expand their culinary taste with the use of Australian native plants. I am told there has been a fantastic reaction to the guide since its launch and it's hoped that soon the guide will be available through libraries and schools. Anyone who would like a copy of the guide can also contact SARDI, and I would encourage anyone in this place who is interested to do so.

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