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25 May 2015

Will food replace cars in South Australian manufacturing?



A food manufacturing park in Adelaide's northern suburbs is being proposed by the South Australian Government as a way to create jobs after the closure of the Holden plant in 2017.

The idea for a centre where food manufacturing, packaging and distribution companies can co-locate has been flagged in a directions paper aimed at sparking debate over the future of Adelaide's north.

Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation Kyam Maher said the Government was looking for at least 40 hectares of land for the centre.

"Food manufacturing has grown every year for 17 consecutive years and with nature of manufacturing changing post the automotive industry we are very keen as a government to encourage food manufacturing," Mr Maher said.

"We are just placing ads now for requests for information from industry, from land holders and from developers to come to Government and let us know what land they have got available so we can assess if we go ahead with the food park where the best area would be."

We want this paper to create informed debate about the future direction for northern Adelaide.
Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Kyam Maher
The directions paper also looks into the expansion of health care and the construction industry as major proposals.

Mr Maher said the paper aimed to raise awareness across the community about challenges the state would face once Holden closed.

"We want this paper to create informed debate about the future direction for northern Adelaide," he said.

"We want to hear from industry and the community about their views of the future, as well as their key issues and priorities."

The Government will seek feedback on the directions paper, and aim to finalise an economic plan for Adelaide's north later in the year.

A community leaders group, including Mr Maher, industry representatives, and the Mayors of the Cities of Playford, Salisbury, and Port Adelaide Enfield, will guide the consultation process.

"Feedback on the directions paper will be crucial to finalising the economic plan, which will ultimately seek to lay out a road map for creating new jobs and up-skilling workers in Adelaide's north in growing industries such as food manufacturing and defence," Mr Maher said.

Holden's manufacturing operations at Elizabeth have started winding down on a sliding scale ahead of the plant's closure at the end of 2017.

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