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©Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) 2008 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth), no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from Primary Industries and Resources SA. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the General Manager, Communications and Marketing, PIRSA, GPO Box 1671, Adelaide SA 5001. The information in this publication can be provided in an alternative format or another language on request. Please contact David Primer on (08) 8226 0539. Distribution This report is available online at this website www.pir.sa.gov.au. Comments about this report are welcome and should be directed to: Communications Offi cer, Communications and Marketing PIRSA Level 17, 25 Grenfell St, Adelaide GPO Box 1671, Adelaide SA 5001 Phone National (08) 8226 0539 International +61 8 8226 0539 Fax National (08) 8226 0027 International +61 8 8226 0027 Email [email protected] ISSN 0 7590 1386 1 (Online) Compiled by Communications and Marketing, PIRSA PIRSA Annual Report 2007-08 2 Hon. Rory McEwen MP Minister for Agriculture Food and Fisheries Minister for Forests Hon. Paul Holloway MLC Minister for Mineral Resources Development Minister for Urban Development and Planning Hon. John Hill MP Minister for the Southern Suburbs Hon. Gail Gago MLC Minister for State/Local Government Relations Dear Ministers, I am pleased to present the PIRSA annual report for the year ended 30 June 2008. The report has been prepared under section 66 of the Public Sector Management Act 1995, in accordance with the Act’s accompanying regulations as well as the fi nancial reporting requirements of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1987. Geoff Knight Chief Executive PIRSA 30 September 2008 PIRSA Annual Report 2007-08 3 Contents Letter of transmittal 3 Chief Executive’s Overview 5 Organisation Chart 7 Highlights 8 The Year Ahead 14 PIRSA’s Role 18 Performance Summary 19 Agriculture, Food and Wine 19 Aquaculture 25 Commercial Investment 26 Commercial Projects 27 Industry Development and Ministerial Liaison 27 Fisheries 28 PIRSA Forestry 29 Minerals and Energy Resources 30 State/Local Government Relations 34 Offi ce for Southern Suburbs 35 Planning SA 36 Rural Solutions SA 40 SARDI 41 Practising Sustainability 45 Agency Support 47 Management of Human Resources 51 Other Matters 57 Financial Performance 64 Appendixes 1 PIRSA Ministerial Responsibilities 68 2 Occupational Health, Safety and Injury Management Statistics 73 3 Consultancies 75 4 Overseas Travel 77 5 Freedom of Information 93 6 Statement of Aboriginal Reconciliation 96 7 Contacts 97 8 Financial Statements 98 Primary Industries and Resources South Australia Rural Industry Adjustment and Development Fund Planning and Development Fund PIRSA Annual Report 2007-08 4 Chief Executive’s Overview Fostering sustainable and internationally competitive industries to achieve targets in South Australia’s Strategic Plan remains the focus for the Department of Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA). PIRSA played an important role in one of the biggest emergency responses efforts seen in many years with the outbreak of equine infl uenza in Queensland and New South Wales. The major incident brought together a number of PIRSA divisions and was a major demonstration of the State’s preparedness and ability to mobilise. That South Australia remained free of the disease is a testament to our commitment to training and preparing staff for emergencies such as this. Biosecurity and the need to keep South Australia free of pests and diseases is a role that PIRSA takes very seriously and is critical to achieving the SA Strategic Plan export targets for food. Continuing drought and historic low infl ows to the Murray Darling Basin have had a huge impact on food and wine production across the state. PIRSA has lead the government’s drought initiatives for farming communities with assistance with business planning, fi nancial assistance and support for regional communities. The agency has also played a very active role in coordinating action across government to help those primary producers who depend on the River Murray for irrigating crops. A number of divisions within the agency are collaborating on drought efforts from SARDI’s leading edge research into improved water use, to Rural Solutions SA’s provision of risk management and business planning and the Corporate division’s involvement with administration of fi nancial support. Our focus on drought and water management issues saw the establishment of the Riverland Response Centre in Berri to further enhance drought response services in the Riverland. A similar facility was set up in Murray Bridge in February with sponsorship support from PIRSA, to service the Murraylands community. Whilst these challenging issues tested our resources in 2007/08, results of PIRSA’s mineral exploration strategy, known as PACE, have greatly exceeded the SA Strategic Plan targets. In the year to June 2008, mineral exploration expenditure reached a record level of $355.2 million, well in excess of the $100 million target. Geothermal projects have enormous potential to provide long-term sustainable base-load energy for the State. During the fi nancial year, 25 companies applied for 249 Geothermal Exploration Licences, capturing the lion’s share of national investment in geothermal energy. Economic development remains the key focus for PIRSA. A Commercial Forestry Development Plan Amendment for the Mount Lofty Ranges was prepared during the year, enhancing the development of plantation forestry. Following a major review of the planning system, Planning SA commenced implementation of the most comprehensive suite of planning reforms ever seen in South Australia, providing the state with the most competitive and effi cient planning system in Australia. PIRSA Annual Report 2007-08 5 Facilitating major developments is the focus of the newly merged Commercial Investment division and its focus spans the whole breadth of industry across PIRSA, from livestock production facilities, water projects to new mining projects. Widely recognised as the leading jurisdiction in Australia for investment in aquaculture, South Australia continues to gain signifi cant opportunities to build exports. An historic agreement between the State Government, Marine Finfi sh Farmers Association and European chefs association, Euro-toques International, was reached during the year, providing opportunities to showcase South Australian seafood products and increase export sales into the lucrative European market. Tougher penalties for fi sheries offences is one of the major changes that will fl ow on from proclamation of the Fisheries Management Act 2007. The co-management approach continues under this Act with the establishment of a Fisheries Council to provide strategic advice to the Minister on the management of fi sheries, across the State, spanning commercial, recreational and Aboriginal traditional fi shing. Increasing voter turnout at local elections is a task which the Offi ce of State/Local Government Relations is putting signifi cant effort into. During the year the Offi ce completed a wide-ranging independent review of Local Government elections in an effort to meet the Strategic Plan target. PIRSA aims to be an employer of choice within our industry segments extending our existing range of innovative approaches. During the year we have established an Aboriginal Reconciliation Reference Group to increase cultural awareness and help make PIRSA an employer of choice for Indigenous Australians. I am excited at the challenges that confront us and the opportunities for continued success that lie ahead in 2008-09. PIRSA continues to work closely with its industry partners and stakeholders to provide South Australians with internationally competitive and environmentally sustainable industries now and into the future. Geoff Knight Chief Executive Primary Industries and Resources SA PIRSA Annual Report 2007-08 6 Organisation Chart At 30 June 2008 PIRSA Annual Report 2007-08 7 Highlights PIRSA highlights for 2007-08 are provided below. AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND WINE • Continued to coordinate the whole-of-government drought-response program, • Established the Riverland Response Centre in Berri to further integrate the delivery of drought-response services in the Riverland and contributed to the establishment of a similar centre in Murray Bridge, • Contributed to the successful eradication of equine infl uenza (EI) from Australia by mounting a major emergency response-campaign to establish the absence of EI in SA and then maintaining measures to keep EI from gaining access, • Managed Exercise Stuffed Goose, a multi-agency emergency response and recovery exercise located at the Monarto Zoo, Murray Bridge and Mt Barker. More than 60 PIRSA staff and more than 590 people from other agencies, Local Government and the community participated in the week-long exercise, • Successfully eradicated an outbreak of Mediterranean fruit fl y in Ceduna and mounted a continuing response to an extended outbreak at Daw Park, • Completed the integration of Food SA into the Agriculture and Wine Division to develop the Agriculture, Food and Wine Division, • Commenced implementation of the South Australian Food Plan 2007-2010 pillars of market development, industry and business capability development, innovation and product development, • Together with the Department of Trade & Economic Development, the Centre for Innovation