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SUGAR RESEARCH AUSTRALIA LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 18-19 (Cover image) Sugarcane roots washed and ready for analysis as part of SRA investment into a CSIRO research project. Picture by Dr Annelie Marquardt, CSIRO. (This page) A harvest best practice demonstration trial underway in the Cairns Northern Beaches area. CONTENTS Message from the Chairman 4 Message from the Chief Executive Officer 6 Building a more resilient cane industry through productivity, profitability and sustainability 8 About SRA 10 Strategic plan summary 12 Research highlights 13 Significant initiatives 14 Research Collaborations 18 Company structure 20 Investment overview 22 Corporate governance framework 24 Corporate Governance 25 Statutory reports: Directors’ Report 29 Financial statements 38 APPENDIX 1: Annual reporting compliance checklist 59 APPENDIX 2: Alignment to industry and government priorities 61 APPENDIX 3: Expenditure against national research priorities 62 Our Values INNOVATION INVESTOR SATISFACTION ACCOUNTABILITY TEAMWORK Sugar Research Australia Limited Brisbane Office 50 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly QLD 4068 Australia Postal Address PO Box 86 Indooroopilly QLD 4068 Australia T 07 3331 3333 E [email protected] sugarresearch.com.au ISSN 2203-7705 (Print) © Copyright 2019 by Sugar Research Australia Limited. All rights reserved. No part of the 2018–2019 Annual Report (this publication) may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Sugar Research Australia Limited. Disclaimer: In this disclaimer a reference to ‘SRA’, ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’ means Sugar Research Australia Limited and our directors, officers, agents and employees. Although we do our very best to present information that is correct and accurate, we make no warranties, guarantees or representations about the suitability, reliability, currency or accuracy of the information we present in this publication, for any purposes. Subject to any terms implied by law and which cannot be excluded, we accept no responsibility for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by you as a result of the use of, or reliance on, any materials and information appearing in this publication. You, the user, accept sole responsibility and risk associated with the use and results of the information appearing in this publication, and you agree that we will not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including through negligence) arising out of, or in connection with the use of this publication. We recommend that you contact our staff before acting on any information provided in this publication. Warning: Our tests, inspections and recommendations should not be relied on without further, independent inquiries. They may not be accurate, complete or applicable for your particular needs for many reasons, including (for example) SRA being unaware of other matters relevant to individual crops, the analysis of unrepresentative samples or the influence of environmental, managerial or other factors on production. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dr Ron Swindells SRA has a five-year Strategic Plan that role in helping SRA invest in high has been developed following extensive impact activities for the industry. Ian consultation with our stakeholders. This also served on the SRA Audit and Risk document, together with our Annual Committee. Operational Plan sets out in more detail Mr Sampson had been on the Board the activities to occur within each Key since 2015 and made an important Focus Area of the strategic plan, and contribution to SRA, particularly around serves to ensure that the Board and strategic planning and driving safety Executive Team concentrate investment culture. He also chaired the SRA Audit on long-term industry research priorities and Risk Committee. whilst also responding to immediate needs and changing circumstances. The 2018 Annual General Meeting saw Members support several enhancements This year we welcomed two new to the SRA Constitution to help make Directors to our Board: Mr Sam Bonanno SRA a more agile company that is and Mr Peter Russo. Both Sam and Peter responsive to the needs of the industry bring considerable and diverse skills to and the environment in which we Welcome to Sugar Research Australia’s the Board table and have already made a operate. These enhancements will 2018/19 Annual Report. strong contribution to SRA. enable SRA to be more responsive to SRA is very cognisant of the challenging I would also like to thank outgoing the needs of investors and Members, circumstances faced by the industry Directors Dr Ian Johnsson and Mr Ian and provide more targeted benefits to due to the depressed sugar price and Sampson. our investors and Members. Members challenging weather conditions. These also supported the change to formally Dr Johnsson had been on the SRA Board difficult circumstances amplify the remove reference to the Delegates importance of SRA delivering value since the formation of the company from the Constitution. This follows an for our investors. We continue to be and brought considerable expertise improvement in regional engagement flexible with our portfolio to ensure that in research management to the Board, with industry through the industry’s SRA is investing for the long term and which helped SRA successfully establish adoption strategy. that we are delivering outcomes that during our formation in 2013. He was a improve productivity, profitability and member of the SRA Research Funding In this financial year we welcomed sustainability for our investors. Panel (RFP) and provided a valuable Mr Gary Longden as Chair of the SRA We continue to be flexible with our investments and approach each year to ensure SRA is investing for the long term and that we are delivering activities that improve productivity, profitability and sustainability for our investors. The challenging circumstances magnify the importance of SRA continuing to deliver value for our Investors. (Above) Chairman, Dr Ron Swindells. (Over page) Innisfail CANEGROWERS Director Mr Wayne Gattera and SRA Director Dr Helen Garnett (front) in the field during the SRA Board’s regional visit to Far North Queensland in August 2018. 4 SUGAR RESEARCH AUSTRALIA LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 Research Funding Panel (RFP). and scientific infrastructure to deliver the Department of Environment and Dr Phillip Jackson and Mr Jeffrey outcomes for industry. Energy (Reef Trust), the Great Barrier Snoad joined as new members of the Reef Foundation, and the Australian This is just a snapshot of our activity, RFP. Previous RFP members Mr John Centre for International Agricultural and you can read more about this work Pollock and Dr Andrew Wood retired Research (ACIAR). from their positions. SRA congratulates in this Annual Report as well as its sister • The Australian Sugar Industry Alliance John on his deserved recognition as a publication, the 2018/19 Performance (ASA), CANEGROWERS, the Australian Member of the Order of Australia for his Report. Sugar Milling Council (ASMC), the significant services to primary industry I also take this opportunity to Australian Cane Farmers Association in Queensland. acknowledge and thank: (ACFA), as well as all of the industry This year saw SRA invest in several • Growers and millers who provide bodies and research and extension new initiatives for the industry, and guidance and information through a providers with whom we collaborate. the continuation of a suite of major range of activities, and who are the • My fellow Directors on the SRA Board activities. Our enhancements to plant primary investors in SRA through the and the members of the RFP, who breeding and adoption are gaining joint 70c per tonne levy. momentum, and we completed our provide guidance and leadership. first year of the Small Milling Research • The Commonwealth Government • The SRA staff, who are spread across Program (SMRP). The yellow canopy who provided co-investment of multiple sites and divisions, and syndrome (YCS) research program is approximately $6.6 million in deliver upon our values of teamwork, making important discoveries, and our 2018/19. investor satisfaction, accountability, Soil Health Program is also working • The Queensland Government and innovation collaboratively to deliver practical Department of Agriculture and on-ground outcomes for growers and • SRA’s CEO, Mr Neil Fisher, for Fisheries, who co-invested $2.85 millers. In addition, as a follow-up of providing leadership to SRA. million in 2018/19. the 2018 Futures Forum, the Board commissioned a review into industry • External research providers and diversification and this has recently investors including the Queensland been published. The Board also has in Department of Environment place an asset management plan to help and Science, the Department of ensure that SRA has the right physical Agriculture (Rural R&D for Profit), SUGAR RESEARCH AUSTRALIA LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 5 MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mr Neil Fisher have been especially challenging, our internal research capability and will particularly around weather and the deliver a research portfolio structured sugar price. Despite these challenges, to meet our investors’ priorities and the industry has continued to embrace expectations. We will utilise a small innovation and demonstrate its resilience. proportion of our accumulated cash reserves to maintain our RD&A investment The need for innovative research, portfolio and support