Courtesy of The SE Voice
26.08.2025
The national media spotlight was on Mount Gambier on Friday as The Advertiser Bush Summit came to town, attracting a host of high calibre speakers.
The summit, held at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre, attracted dignitaries including South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.
The event started with an acknowledgement of country from Australian Indigenous Education Foundation alumna Krista-Jean Clarke followed by a speech from The Advertiser editor Gemma Jones and a keynote address by Premier Malinauskas about former South Australian Surveyor General George Goyder.
Premier Malinauskas then spoke with The Advertiser editor at large Paul Starick covering topics such as South Australian’s regional growth, the state’s algal bloom crisis, ramping and even his thoughts on Adelaide Crows star Izak Rankine’s tribunal penalty.
Those attending then watched a video of mining magnate and Hancock Prospecting Executive chairman Gina Rinehart sitting down with Sue and Mat Daubney from award-winning Bannister Downs Dairy to speak about the biggest challenges faced in agriculture industries.
The first of three panel discussions hosted by Channel Seven’s Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello ‘
‘Surviving drought and the future of farming’ featured AG Schilling and Co principle partner and chief executive officer Mark Schilling, Grain Producers South Australia vice chair and Willmott Farms director Peta Willmott and Hancock Agriculture and S. Kidman and Co chief executive officer Adam Giles.
The second panel discussed ‘Tackling the Algal Bloom Crisis’ with Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven MLC, South Australian Research and Development Institute executive director Professor Mike Steer and Pirate’s Seachest and Sea Charters owner Rod Ness.
Mr Costello then sat down with Gomeri youth advocate and community leader Jazmin Bingham to discuss her role and future ambitions.
The final panel of the day was ‘Strengthening and diversifying regional economies’ featuring Mondelēz International Japan Australia and New Zealand president Toby Smith, G’Day Group founder and chief executive officer Grant Wilkens and South Australian Products Association chair Tammy Auld.
Mr Smith said Mondelez now exports 40% of its locally produced cheese products into South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia.
“It’s a really unique business for us here and we are really proud that we are able to export Mount Gambier milk into Asia and the opportunities continue to be there,” he said.
“I think what we are finding now globally is it is getting far more competitive and so we are having to work so much harder with governments and farmers themselves to make sure we can continue to be competitive so we can meet those growth expectations.
“That’s how it all started; I remember we had some international guests, especially from South Korea and Japan come over 15-16 years ago and they fell in love with Mount Gambier.
“If you are from Tokyo and you come here, the town is amazing and we were able to create this relationship with some retailers and then that expanded into a proper export relationship.”
The event concluded with an address by Hancock Prospecting companies director Professor Ian Pilmer about climate change followed by a conversation between Mr Starick and Federal Member for Barker Tony Pasin.
