The State Government has today released a major review of international and interstate engagement, with the response set to enhance South Australia's export focus and pursuit of economic growth and more jobs.
The Review of the South Australian Government's International and Interstate Engagement Bodies and Functions was undertaken by former New Zealand Trade Minister Steven Joyce.
The government has endorsed a series of recommendations from the Review which will result in new approaches to external engagement, particularly those aimed at investment attraction and export promotion.
The development of a South Australian Growth Agenda to prioritise and guide the State Government's economic development initiatives will also flow from this review.
"My government was elected on a platform of revitalising the South Australian economy, with a much greater focus on growing our exports to help create more jobs," said Premier Steven Marshall.
"Our response to this review will realign departmental structures and clarify the responsibilities of economic agencies charged with supporting our export growth and encouraging business investment across all industry sectors in South Australia."
The Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment (DTTI) will have lead responsibility and oversight of the tools and functions to lift investment and trade across all sectors of the economy, while the Department for Industry and Skills will be renamed the Department for Innovation and Skills (DIS), with its mission clearly focussed on skill development, entrepreneurship and innovation.
"With the establishment of the Australian Space Agency headquarters at Lot Fourteen, alongside established defence companies as well as tech start-ups, innovation will be at the heart of industry and employment growth in the coming years and decades in SA," said Premier Marshall.
"Acting upon the recommendations of the Review will ensure we have the best possible structures and resources in place to support South Australian businesses in their efforts to drive export growth and create more jobs."
Key recommendations of the review accepted by the government include:
- Shifting resources from DIS to DTTI – the State Government has endorsed this with the exception of the proposed move of the Creative Industries Group;
- DTTI to drive a strategy for growing business investment, working with industry and other economic agencies
- DTTI to have lead responsibility for promoting interstate and international trade, including coordination of all outbound economic missions and managing an independent annual evaluation of missions conducted, and developing an annual missions calendar for Cabinet approval
- Transfer of the government's China Strategy from DPC to DTTI
- DTTI to manage the government's extended overseas representation
- Responsibility for funding the Adelaide Convention Bureau to transfer from SA Tourism Commission to DTTI
- The role of the Department for Innovation and Skills to focus on skills, innovation, research, entrepreneurship, start-ups and small business
- Transfer of Immigration SA from DTTI to DIS
- Implementation of a South Australian Growth Agenda to prioritise and co-ordinate implementation of major policy initiatives.
The establishment of the South Australian Growth Agenda will publicise the State Government's overall growth goal and sectoral goals for key industries identified in the report – these goals will be confirmed and revised over time by DTTI in consultation with industry.
The South Australian Growth Agenda will setup a strong across government process to ensure integrated development and implementation of microeconomic reform's to lift the state's growth potential.
The full review is available here: https://dpc.sa.gov.au/about/publications-policies-and-guidelines
