Govt hires Maywald to sell SA water expertise
Rann era water minister Karlene Maywald has been given another job by the State Government – selling South Australia’s water management expertise to the world.
Maywald, who was in charge of the water portfolio throughout the severe drought of the 2000s, has been appointed as the Government’s “Strategic Adviser – Water Opportunities”, with a brief to export South Australia’s water expertise to key markets such as India and China.
The new job – a $70,000 a year external consultancy role – comes after she was appointed bushfire recovery coordinator in the aftermath of the Sampson Flat bushfires this year.
Maywald, a former chair of the National Water Commission, is in India this week as part of a trade mission led by Investment and Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith.
The South Australian group of more than 60, which includes representatives from the Goyder Institute, the Water Industry Alliance, SA Water and others, is meeting with government and industry representatives.
Hamilton-Smith said the trade mission was the “next step” in building South Australia’s relationship with the government of the Rajasthan province, in northern India.
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He said there were export opportunities for SA water expertise in the province in areas including governance, efficient irrigation, water security and water trading.
Under a national memorandum of understanding, SA water management experts will lead efforts to renew the Ganga River, Hamilton-Smith said.
“Ms Maywald will be a vital player in this program,” he said.
The Indian Government has established a National Ganga River Basin Authority with a brief to clean up the river, including preventing pollution from industrial chemicals and sewage which has long been identified as a significant problem.
The river and its tributaries are estimated to support one tenth of the world’s population or about 500 million people.
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Maywald said SA had many opportunities in the areas of water and environmental management.
“South Australia has enormous capacity in the water sector, particularly in the areas of research, capacity building and water planning,” she said.
Andy Roberts, the CEO of the Water Industry Alliance, who is in India with Maywald and Hamilton-Smith, was also bullish about the export opportunities for SA’s water industry.
“There is growing international interest from governments wanting to engage with South Australian water experts, including California in the United States, China and India,” he said.
Roberts said the alliance’s recently launched export strategy was aligned with the State Government’s India, China and ASEAN export strategies.
“It is tailored to utilise and leverage our industry experience, while helping emerging exporters to expand into new global markets,” he said.
Maywald’s appointment continues Hamilton-Smith’s strategy of appointing high-profile figures to advisory roles.
In June, former defence force chief Sir Angus Houston was appointed South Australian special envoy for international trade and investment.
Last month, Adelaide Crows chairman and business executive Rob Chapman was selected to lead a $15 million investment fund aimed at attracting new industries to South Australia.
This week’s trade mission is not only focusing on water and the environment, but also agriculture, the arts, education, health, mining and resources, tourism and wine.
Sir Angus is on the trade trip, along with the Government’s strategic adviser on India, Brian Hayes, Economic Development Board member Rob Kerin and the Paul Heithersay from the Department of State Development.
