20 Oct 2016
Manufacturing Sector
The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN ( 15:03 ): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation questions regarding the government’s manufacturing works program.
Leave granted.
The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: It was reported in Frost & Sullivan’s final assessment report into the government’s manufacturing works program that ‘direct marketing efforts of manufacturing works by the South Australian Government appear to have been relatively ineffective in raising awareness and stimulating participation’. The report therefore recommended that the branding and marketing of the program should be enhanced. Given that advanced manufacturing is one of the government’s key priorities, can the minister advise the chamber what the government is doing to address the concerns set out in the report?
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) ( 15:04 ): I thank the honourable member for his important question and his interest in manufacturing programs and his constant reminders of the great work the government does in terms of its manufacturing programs. I do not have the figures in front of me, but the report he refers to highlighted the significant impact the program has had in South Australia, both in terms of economic stimulus and the amount of investment and jobs in South Australia, so I thank the honourable member for once again highlighting just how effective are many of our manufacturing programs, particularly the report to which he refers and which shows just how big a bang we are getting for our buck in terms of the manufacturing works program.
There are a number of ways we are advertising for people to become involved and become aware of these programs, through industry associations like the Australian Industry Group in South Australia, with whom I meet regularly, through regular meetings with people from the department and myself with the manufacturing industry in South Australia.
It is not just manufacturing works programs that are contributing to some of the innovation we are seeing in our advanced manufacturing sector. There are many university programs, collaborations between industry and the university, such as the recently announced Future Industries Institute at the University of South Australia, that are leading the way in industry collaboration with the university sector to bring about early commercialisations of technology in South Australia.
So, there are a whole range of ways that we continue to promote the programs we have on offer, and I will happily talk to the honourable member, maybe over dinner one night, about just how well we continue to do and the follow on from the Frost & Sullivan report.
The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Gazzola.
Members interjecting:
The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Gazzola has the floor.
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