2021-22 Annual Report online version

As the world continues to grapple with a number of challenges, the Department for Trade and Investment (DTI) continues its focus on growing the South Australian economy.

DTI has done this by assisting with local business growth and generating economic opportunities for the state.

In 2021-22, DTI was directly responsible for attracting over $504 million of foreign investment into South Australia by supporting companies to expand or establish their operations.

This also led to the creation of over 7600 new jobs in the state.

Large, multinational companies including Salesforce, Microsoft Azure, Nokia and Cognizant, have moved here as a result of negotiations with DTI whilst Deloitte and PwC, already based in Adelaide, expanded, creating 2500 jobs between them.

Now it’s time to move to a new phase. DTI will seek even more economic development with the establishment of Invest SA.

Invest SA will focus on driving inbound international and national investment into the state – leveraging South Australia’s competitive strengths and competencies. Invest SA will coordinate and facilitate connections across government agencies and regulators to help businesses easily navigate government process, connecting international and national investments to critical industry and research partners, market opportunities and ultimately, export gateways.

Despite the challenges of doing business internationally, DTI has provided opportunities for exporters to continue to trade, with 61 digital webinars, seminars and business-to-business matching events.

DTI successfully facilitated 187 trade outcomes for South Australian businesses, adding $210 million to the state’s export figures, in addition to supporting 166 South Australian businesses to become new exporters or to enter new markets.

To bolster companies further in overseas markets, the South Australian Government opened a new trade and investment office in San Francisco.

The Global Expansion Program has supported 30 South Australian businesses to grow their export capability into new and existing markets with more than $1.5 million already committed. The funding program is available until June 2024, with a total of 40 companies able to receive funding up to $50 000 each. A further 30 companies will receive free business reviews undertaken by expert service providers to help identify export gaps and grow capability.

The re-invigoration of Brand SA will focus on marketing South Australian made products and grown produce to markets intrastate, interstate and overseas. Brand SA will be a dedicated division within DTI and will lead a new Buy Local campaign to encourage South Australians to switch $1 in every $20 of their spending to local products.

From 1 July 2022, the roles and responsibilities of the Department has expanded to include Planning and Land Use Services. This will provide further opportunities to ensure a collaborative approach to service delivery.

South Australia’s economic future shows promising growth through continued trade activity and by actively seeking investment that will lead to the creation of more jobs for South Australians.

David Reynolds
Chief Executive
Department for Trade and Investment

Our Purpose

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

Our Vision

DTI promotes South Australia as a preferential investment destination across core sectors and emerging industrial capabilities of global significance, driving economic growth and increased value-add activities across sectors of competitive advantage.

DTI will target productive sustainable foreign direct investment and local re-investment into South Australia by linking South Australian industries and businesses with on-the-ground trade and investment opportunities in key global markets through a network of international offices; and facilitate increased and more diverse exports from South Australian businesses through targeted support and capability building programs and projects.

DTI leads the development of trade and investment policies, programs and projects supporting economic growth strategies.

Our Values

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

Can do – We have a ‘can do’ attitude, 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

During 2021-22 there were no machinery of government changes, however the following changes were announced impacting DTI’s structure and objectives, from 1 July 2022:

The Department has also undertaken a restructure which will be completed in September 2022.

The Honorable Nick Champion MP is the Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Housing and Urban Development and Minister for Planning. For the Trade and Investment portfolio, Minister Champion oversees activities that enable economic growth in South Australia by attracting investment, increasing exports, and building a global reputation.

Previously, Minister Champion served in the Federal Parliament for 15 years, initially as the Member for Wakefield for twelve years, and most recently as the Member for Spence for three years.

During his time in Federal Parliament, Minister Champion served on the Joint Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade for an extended period, including as the Deputy Chair. In addition, he has served on the Standing Committees for Industry, Science, and Innovation; Primary Industries and Resources; and Infrastructure and Communications.

Minister Champion is the Member for Taylor, which he has represented since the March 2022 State election.

(As at 30 June 2022)
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 sectors of competitive advantage and support exporters of premium products and services to 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 were appointed by the Minister for Trade and Investment until this responsibility was transferred to the Deputy Premier in recent machinery of government changes. DTI also had representation on the Board until 9 June 2022, when the member resigned due to these changes.

Agency’s contribution

In 2021-22, DTI attracted over $504 million of investments, creating over 7600 new jobs in South Australia in priority sectors from companies that are a direct client of DTI.

In 2021-22, DTI:

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

Data for previous years is available at: Department for Trade and Investment Annual

Report Data - Dataset - data.sa.gov.au.

The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has a workforce

information page that provides further information on the breakdown of executive

gender, salary and tenure by agency.

The following is a brief summary of the overall financial position of the agency. The

information is unaudited. Full audited financial statements for 2021-22 are attached to

this report.

As at 30 June 2022, DTI had a revised expenditure budget of $69.8 million. Actual

expenditure against this budget was $53.1 million. The underspend of $16.7 million

primarily related to the timing of grant and project payments of $13.4 million which is

expected to occur in 2022-23 and future years in line with contractual milestones, and

a general operating underspend of $3.3 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 $47.1 million compared to actual revenue of

$47.7 million. The variance of $0.6 million was primarily due to unbudgeted revenue

which was offset by additional expenditure.

As at 30 June 2022, DTI had budgeted $5.9 million for current assets compared to the

actual result of $21.0 million. The $15.1 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.

Data for previous years is available at: Department for Trade and Investment Annual

Report Data - Dataset - data.sa.gov.au.

See also the Consolidated Financial Report of the Department of Treasury and

Finance for total value of consultancy contracts across the South Australian Public

Sector.

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

Data for previous years is available at: Department for Trade and Investment Annual

Report Data - Dataset - data.sa.gov.au.

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 Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS) and the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM). DTI works alongside DIIS, 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 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 2021-22, the Security Committee met regularly to progress tasks outlined in the Agency Security Plan and South Australian Protective Security Framework and South Australian Cyber Security Framework Attestations.

Data for previous years is available at: Department for Trade and Investment Annual Report Data - Dataset - data.sa.gov.au.

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

Data for previous years is available at: Department for Trade and Investment Annual

Report Data - Dataset - data.sa.gov.au.

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.

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 2021-22 financial year, 64 DTI employees accessed 157.14 days of carers’ leave.

Data for previous years is available at: Department for Trade and Investment Annual

Report Data - Dataset - data.sa.gov.au.

DTI did not receive any formal complaints in 2021-22. DTI achieved client satisfaction with its trade and investment support activity of 87 per cent; above the target of 80 per cent. During 2021-22, DTI has continued to make service improvements to enhance the customer experience and engagement with its stakeholders.