2020-21 Annual Report online version

In another year of immense challenges for South Australian companies, the Department for Trade and Investment (DTI) has continued to deliver upon its mandate to generate economic growth opportunities for South Australia across investment and exports.

In 2020-21, DTI attracted $703 million of foreign investment into the state, creating over 3495 direct jobs for South Australians, as well as 1688 construction jobs.

Despite the issue of international border closures and travel restrictions, as well as market access difficulties and increases in trade tariffs, DTI has facilitated $54.3 million worth of exports from 179 successful trade outcomes for South Australian exporters.

As a department, we have continued to deliver for our clients, and have achieved a client satisfaction rating of 89 per cent for our trade support and activities.

Through our efforts, we attracted Qantas to the state, boosting the aviation industry with the creation of up to 200 jobs for a new Embraer E190 aircraft base at Adelaide Airport, an important milestone in re-establishing airline connectivity.

The department was directly responsible in further growing the South Australian hitech ecosystem by attracting a number of global companies to the state including Amazon Web Services which is aiming to create more than 50 jobs by 2024, Google Cloud, whose very presence in Adelaide attracted MTX Group – a leading global technology transformation company, which is establishing its first service hub in Adelaide, expected to create around 500 jobs within the next three to five years.

We have also continued to provide clients with the opportunity to do business internationally, to maintain connections and develop partnerships through virtual means, delivering 71 digital webinars, seminars and business-to-business matching events.

Through coordinated and targeted virtual food, beverage and wine programs, we connected producers with buyers, importers, distributors and retailers in overseas markets, which worked particularly well in the United States with local South Australian companies signing deals with Central Market, a specialty grocery sub-brand of HEB, which comprises 340 stores and has a revenue of US$29 billion per annum. The program was delivered in partnership with Food SA, and nine South Australian companies will have their products displayed on supermarket shelves. A first order of US$150 000 has already been generated as a direct result of this activity.

Our reach internationally continues to grow with the opening of our new trade and investment office in Singapore to cover the South East Asia region, appointing new representatives in Seoul, South Korea; New Delhi, India and New York, United States of America.

DTI implemented the Global Expansion Program to support South Australian businesses to grow their export capability into new and existing markets with more than $1 million awarded to the first cohort of recipients.

A total of 16 overseas and interstate companies were welcomed as South Australian Landing Pad grant recipients, with an estimated 95 Full Time Equivalent roles to be created in the next three years.

DTI also launched the new $5.4 million Wine Export Recovery and Expansion Program, a four-year wine market expansion program that supports South Australian wineries to increase commercial opportunities, diversify into new markets, and grow overseas sales channels.

International education is a significant contributor to South Australia’s growing prosperity. Beyond its economic importance, international education attracts new students, new industries and new investors to our state and fosters cultural exchange, social integration and community diversification.

From the first international border closures in 2019, DTI has worked with the Australian Government and the international education sector to facilitate the safe and secure return of our international students to South Australia.

In 2020-21, DTI delivered a significant national milestone for South Australia by achieving Australian Government approval for its International Students Arrival Plan and its international student specific quarantine facility. South Australia is the first, and only, jurisdiction to secure this approval.

DTI continues to progress the International Students Arrival Plan to bring international students back to South Australia and rebuild our international education supply chains.

It has been an incredibly challenging year for our clients. DTI has continued to diversify our delivery methods and look for new ways to innovatively engage with business and trade partners that will position South Australia at the forefront of the nation for attracting investment and talent and drive our economy forward.

Leonie Muldoon
Chief Executive
Department for Trade and Investment

Our Purpose

Enabling economic growth in South Australia by attracting investment, increasing exports, building global reputation and removing barriers to business.

Our Vision

DTI is the government agency with frontline responsibility for driving business investment in the state across all industries, and for facilitating trade in all goods and services both interstate and internationally.

DTI leads the identification of likely growth industries for the state and works with other economic agencies and industry to deliver nine priority sector strategies, ensuring industry-led economic growth targets and actions are set.

DTI presents a single front door to industry on trade and investment.

DTI carries responsibility for promoting South Australian trade and investment capability and opportunities, with focus on the nine target sectors.

Our Values

Trust – We build trust, we promote confidence in each other and our service.

Can do – We have a ‘can do’ attitude, and are proactive, energetic and positive.

Commercial – We are commercial and customer focused, setting high standards and driving outcomes.

One Team – We take a collaborative approach, share our wins and focus on creating better solutions by working together with industry.

Courageous – We empower and promote leadership at all levels.

Questioning & Innovative – We are forward looking and continually improving.

Our functions, objectives and deliverables

DTI:

DTI is responsible for the Trade and Investment stream of the Growth State Plan and works with industry, other government departments and industry bodies to ensure industry led sector strategies positively impact the state’s economic competitiveness and growth.

During 2020-21, some minor organisational alignments were made to effectively deliver on the department’s strategy and continue to deliver results for South Australian businesses, industry and the community.

These changes included the:

The Hon Stephen Patterson MP is the Minister for Trade and Investment. Minister Patterson oversees activities that drive economic growth in South Australia including attracting investment, increasing exports and building global reputation, particularly international education.

Chief Executive – Ms Leonie Muldoon
Deputy Chief Executive – Ms Megan Antcliff
Director Strategic Operations – Ms Sophie Adlaf
Director International Markets – Mr John Ellis
Director State Promotions – Ms Belinda Redman
Director Strategy, Policy and Analytics – Mr Justin Ross
Director Food, Wine and Agribusiness – Ms Nicolle Sincock
Director Minerals and Energy – Mr Wayne Emery
Director Space – Ms Tiffany Katchmar
Director Creative Industries and Hi-tech – Mr Gavin Artz
Director Health and Medical – Mr Mark Wheeler
Director International Education and Tourism – Mr Taliessin Reaburn
Director Defence and Industry Capability Network – Mr Pete Woods

Nil

Office of the Agent-General

The Office of the Agent-General (OAG) represents the South Australian Government in the United Kingdom (UK), with key objectives to attract investment into South Australia’s priority sectors and support exporters of premium products and services access the UK and European markets.

StudyAdelaide

StudyAdelaide was established under the Public Corporations (Education Adelaide) Regulations 1998. Its role is to promote Adelaide as Australia’s premier study destination for international students who bring economic, cultural and social benefits to the city and the state. In partnership with education institutions, StudyAdelaide grows awareness and preference for Adelaide as a global study destination and engages with onshore students to enrich their living and studying experience.

StudyAdelaide’s management is overseen by a Board, whose members are appointed by the Minister for Trade and Investment.
 
StudyAdelaide presents its annual report to the Minister for Trade and Investment.

Key objective
More jobs

Agency’s contribution
In 2020-21, DTI attracted over $703 million of investments, creating over 3495 direct jobs, as well as 1688 construction jobs.

Key objective
Better Services

Agency’s contribution
In 2020-21, DTI:

Nil

Data for previous years is available at https://data.sa.gov.au/data/organization/department-for-trade-and-investment

Data for previous years is available at https://data.sa.gov.au/data/organization/department-for-trade-and-investment

The following is a brief summary of the overall financial position of the agency. The information is unaudited. Full audited financial statements for 2020-21 are attached to this Annual Report.

As at 30 June 2021, DTI had a revised expenditure budget of $74.3 million. Actual expenditure against this budget was $59.5 million. The underspend of $14.8 million primarily related to the timing of grant and project payments of $11.2 million which are now expected to occur in 2021-22 and future years in line with contractual milestones, accounting treatment changes of $0.9 million including reclassification of expenditure to current assets and end of financial year leave liability adjustments and a general operating underspend of $2.7 million which was largely due to the postponement or cancellation of programs due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DTI had a revised revenue budget of $49.9 million compared to actual revenue of $50.6 million. The variance of $0.7 million was primarily due to unbudgeted revenue which was offset by additional expenditure.

As at 30 June 2021, DTI had budgeted $14.3 million for current assets compared to the actual result of $28.4 million. The $14.1 million increase is primarily due to higher cash balances as a result of the expenditure underspend.

The following is a summary of external consultants who have been engaged by the
department, the nature of work undertaken and the actual payments made for the work
undertaken during the financial year.

The following is a summary of external contractors that have been engaged by the
department, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for work
undertaken during the financial year.

The details of South Australian Government-awarded contracts for goods, services, and works are displayed on the SA Tenders and Contracts website. View the agency list of contracts.

The website also provides details of across government contracts.

DTI risk management is governed by the Risk and Performance Committee (RPC); a joint committee with the Department for Innovation and Skills (DIS) and the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM). DTI works alongside DIS, in line with a service level agreement, to identify, control, and mitigate risks that may impact DTI’s ability to achieve strategic objectives. Risk management activities include business continuity planning, management of strategic and operational risk registers, internal audits, and regular reporting on key performance indicators.

DTI continues to employ the following strategies to control and prevent fraud:

The FMCP defines control elements deemed critical in the administration of relevant and reliable financial reporting. Each control is assessed throughout the financial year and action plans are implemented for any controls that are assessed as weak. 

DTI financial authorisations are maintained and monitored quarterly through the e-procurement and ANZ Electronic Merchant Services (EMS) purchase card systems. Employee termination reports are reviewed regularly and required amendments to the e-procurement and purchase card authorisations are made in a timely manner.

In 2020-21, DTI adopted the South Australian Protective Security Framework (SAPSF) and subordinate South Australian Cyber Security Framework (SACSF), including the creation of an Agency Security Policy and Plan, to comply with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet Circular PC030 – Protective Security in the Government of South Australia. As part of the SAPSF, DTI has established a Protective Security Committee and Cyber Security Committee, which consists of an Agency Security Executive and Agency Security Advisors to oversee protective and cyber security activities that includes mitigation of emerging risks, management of existing controls and alignment of existing processes and procedures.

In 2020-21, DTI adopted a new Procurement Framework to comply with the new Treasurer’s Instruction 18 – Procurement, including adoption of the new South Australian Government Core (SGC) Procurement System.

The new Procurement Framework and SGC will ensure DTI is effectively managing procurement activities to mitigate risk and maximise value for the South Australian community.

Number of occasions on which public interest information has been disclosed to a responsible officer of the agency under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018:

Nil

Note: Disclosure of public interest information was previously reported under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993 and repealed by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 on 1 July 2019.

Nil

Reporting required under the Carers’ Recognition Act 2005

The Carers’ Recognition Act 2005 is promoted as part of the department’s induction process and referenced in the DTI Leave Procedure.

DTI employees have access to carers’ leave in line with Commissioner’s Determination 3.1 Employment Conditions – Hours of Work, Overtime and Leave.

In the 2020-21 financial year, 60 DTI employees accessed 184 days of carers’ leave.

DTI did not receive any formal complaints in 2020-21. DTI has proactively undertaken the following key service improvements to improve customer experience: