Primary Industries and Resources South Australia
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Primary Industries and Resources South Australia ARNNUAL EPORT 1999 – 2000 Government of South Australia ISSN 1440-978X For copies of this document please contact: Customer Services Edited by J.E. Hibburt and J.F. Drexel Primary Industries and Resources South Australia Design and graphics by Publishing Services, PIRSA 101 Grenfell St, Adelaide GPO Box 1671, Adelaide SA 5001 Printed by Openbook Publishers Phone (08) 8463 3000 Printed January 2001 Fax (08) 8204 1880 Hon Rob Kerin MP Deputy Premier Minister for Primary Industries and Resources Minister for Regional Development Hon Wayne Matthew MP Contents Minister for Minerals and Energy Letter of transmittal................1 Minister Assisting the Deputy Premier Chief Executive’s overview ............2 Organisation chart ................4 Part one: Primary Industries and Resources South Australia Highlights ...................6 The year ahead.................8 PIRSA’s role .................11 Dear Ministers, Performance review I am pleased to present to you the PIRSA Food for the Future ..............15 annual report for the year ended 30 June 2000. The report has been prepared under section 66 of the Food and fibre .................17 Public Sector Management Act 1995 and is in Agricultural industries ..........17 accordance with the Act’s accompanying regulations Fisheries..................26 as well as the financial reporting requirements of the Aquaculture ................30 Public Finance and Audit Act 1987. Research and development ..........33 Sustainable resources .............40 Minerals and energy resources ........47 Mineral resources .............47 Petroleum .................54 Energy policy .................59 Dennis Mutton Agency support ................64 Chief Executive Human resource management ......64 Primary Industries and Resources South Australia Financial services .............67 Other support ...............68 Financial performance.............73 Part two: Office of Regional Development 30 September 2000 Office of Regional Development’s role ...78 Performance review .............80 The year ahead ................82 Appendixes 1 PIRSA Ministerial responsibilities ....84 2 Workforce statistics ............87 3 Occupational health, safety and welfare statistics ..................88 4 Consultancies ...............89 5 Overseas travel ..............91 6 Freedom of Information Statement ....95 7 Financial statements ...........96 Index ...................127 Contacts ................back cover The services provided by PIRSA cover many with other State and federal agencies in policy different industries and, consequently, the agency’s development, and worked closely with industry and Executive has undertaken significant work and the community in South Australia. review during 1999–2000 to ensure that all aspects I would like to pay tribute to those staff who have of South Australia’s primary industry and resources been involved in what seems to be an ongoing sectors are managed with appropriate Government program to combat incursions of pests and diseases. representation and services, and within the The control of branched broomrape has been, and framework of sustainable development. This has will continue to be, a major exercise and last year’s resulted in a realignment of reporting responsibilities grasshopper campaign has been followed this year to provide distinct areas of focus for PIRSA, by a potentially far more devastating locust including Food and Fibre (Agricultural Industries, infestation. The successful implementation of Fisheries, Aquaculture) to meet the Premier’s Food broad-scale surveillance of ovine Johne’s disease for the Future initiatives, and Office of Minerals and through abattoir monitoring has provided Energy Resources (Mineral Resources, Petroleum) encouraging results, and South Australia has in response to the Resources Task Force contributed to the evolution of a national program recommendations. The Food for the Future initiative for controlling the spread of bovine Johne’s disease. has continued to take a high profile, with successful market awareness programs for both growers and Our ability to effectively communicate through web buyers of fresh and processed food, and sites, displays and presentations is critical and is an development of a scorecard reflecting up-to-date area which we have concentrated on in the past 12 information to measure our achievements in growing months through our involvement in events such as the food industry in South Australia. the regional field days, Royal Show, Farm Expo, Tasting Australia and World Environment Day. In the past financial year there have also been changes in ministerial responsibility which have As part of its service, PIRSA now assembles a wide subsequently affected the agency, including the variety of high-quality information into packages for decision to create a separate department for water immediate use by industry in decision-making and resources and the creation of a separate portfolio for training. These are being continually released, with a minerals and energy. Responsibility for the Pastoral recent example being Devguide, a tool to help Board and associated legislation has been committed industry with development approvals. to the Deputy Premier under his new title of Minister Work on establishing a farmer information service for Primary Industries and Resources and Minister commenced during the year to support collaborative for Regional Development. arrangements between PIRSA, TAFE and the PIRSA staff have continued to play an important Adelaide University in livestock research, training role as innovators, and generators and disseminators and information to the farming community. PIRSA of knowledge. This was admirably demonstrated by Rural Solutions has continued to provide new events such as the outcomes of research in the birth directions for the delivery of services to the farming of Australia’s first cloned lamb, Matilda, and and business community with about 200 consultants PIRSA’s strong leadership in initiatives associated based at 26 service centres throughout the State. with salinity management and the broader issues of A new sea urchin fishery has been established, and natural resource management at a national level. aquaculture continues to grow at a rapid rate with In the policy area, some of the agency’s major improvements in success rates for achievements include the development of an energy development applications and the implementation of policy document, new approaches to integrated research outcomes. The Fisheries Compliance natural resource management, finalisation of new function has been innovative in refocusing its petroleum legislation which will become a model for operations and future directions, and the challenging other States, and major reforms in the area of food task of restructuring the Marine Scalefish Fishery is safety (particularly meat hygiene) and animal health. now well advanced with a high level of support and The agency has continued to work collaboratively input from industry. 2 PIRSA ANNUAL REPORT 1999–2000 The acquisition of 200 000 square kilometres of performing both internally and externally. A series aerial survey data over some of the most of management forums initiated in 2000 are aimed at under-explored country in Australia as part of the increasing the capability of staff while also helping Targeted Exploration Initiative South Australia us to look critically at our directions, priorities and (TEISA) has provided exciting aeromagnetic and roles. related images, which highlight the mineral potential Training is critical for our clients and it has been of the far northwest of the State and will assist pleasing to see that the FarmBis and Property industry in its hunt for further mineral discoveries. Management Planning initiatives of the Federal and Also great strides have been made in building the State Governments are expanding and through a necessary relationships with the traditional owners recent federal budget outcome, such training will to enhance access to Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands for now be available to operators in the wild fishery. mineral exploration. In conclusion, PIRSA’s activities and achievements The number of petroleum exploration licences and are a clear indication of the Government’s licence applications in South Australia are at high commitment to regional and rural communities levels, with approximately 70% of the State’s throughout South Australia. Much work is still to be prospective areas covered. National and done and we will continue to strive for international companies are keenly focusing on improvement, which is essential in the South Australia’s phased Cooper Basin acreage ever-changing environment in which we live. releases, with a total of $165 million of exploration expenditure committed by the winning round one and two bidders. This is a credit to the international marketing efforts and professional bidding process conducted by the Petroleum Group. Oil and gas exploration in the Otway Basin in the South-East of the State is also likely to intensify following the recent release of seven areas for petroleum exploration licences. Rehabilitation of old mineral exploration sites has been undertaken in the Yellabinna Regional Reserve on the far west Eyre Peninsula, and significant progress continues to be made in working with the Brukunga Community Board towards appropriate and equitable means of reducing the pollution arising from the abandoned pyrite mine. In its first year of operation