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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-05-05 Daily Xml
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South-East Asia Trade Mission

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright) (15:25): My question is to the Minister for Investment and Trade. Can the minister update the house on his recent trade mission to South-East Asia?

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Minister for Investment and Trade, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:25): I thank the member for her question. As members would be aware, on 19 March 2015 the government released the South-East Asia engagement strategy. Annual inbound and outbound missions to and from the region, which includes the 10 countries of ASEAN and Timor-Leste, are vital features of this strategy. On 26 April 2015, the government undertook a five-day trade mission to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. I was accompanied by Economic Development Board member, Professor Gӧran Roos, and the Executive Director of Investment, Trade and Immigration in the Department of State Development, Mr Matt Johnson.

The key objective of this trade mission was to promote and foster the implementation of the South Australia-South East Asia Engagement Strategy in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. This included discussing options for embedding staff in Austrade across the region, meeting with prospective and current investors and SMEs, and engaging key government officials, relevant in-country business chambers and other potential partners in the region.

Highlights of the trip include a meeting with minister Iswaran, the Minister of Trade and Industry and an Adelaide University alumni, to discuss potential and current trade and investment opportunities between Singapore and South Australia. I was also able to visit SATS Coolport facility in Singapore, Asia's first certified perishable handling centre, dealing with perishables and all other temperature-sensitive products. Coolport's clientele consists of international airline customers, including Qantas, and major logistic companies such as DHL and TNT, and it is vitally important for food producers in this state.

Coolport provides an uninterrupted cold chain solution direct from the aircraft to individual coldrooms at the facility. Perishables including: fresh flowers; fresh fruit and vegetables; meat products, including chilled and frozen meats; dairy foods; live/chilled/frozen seafood; confectionary, including chocolate; and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and biomedical products are handled at the facility.

I also had an opportunity to engage in a business forum with the Australia Malaysia Business Council (AMBC), and similar councils in Bangkok. As many members will be aware, South Australia shares many historical links with Malaysia, which includes Adelaide's sister city relationship with Georgetown, Penang for more than 40 years. As such, working with the AMBC plays a critical role in establishing business relationships that foster trade and investment between our two states.

I met, along with the delegation, with Dole International. Dole is the largest producer and marketer of high quality fresh fruit and vegetables in the world, and does business in more than 90 countries. Dole sees South Australia as a strong partner and a great source of quality produce. I also met with Temasek Holdings, International Enterprise Singapore, Siemens and Singapore Technologies Marine, where I was given a tour of their shipyard. Whilst in Bangkok the delegation met with the executive vice-president of CP, Thailand's largest private investment company.

I would like to thank staff in my department, as well as in Austrade and DFAT, for their assistance in making the trade mission a success. I also commend minister Robb and the federal government for the good job they are doing in encouraging free trade and opportunity between Australia and the countries in our region. On this page, the federal and state government are as one.

Although the South Australia-South East Asia Engagement Strategy is aimed at securing trade opportunities, attracting foreign direct investment and further developing South Australia's export capacity—because it is all about jobs—we must also continue to develop a broad and thorough engagement.

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