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Whilst there has been much discussion about the Australian mining sector in recent weeks, it has probably perpetuated common misconceptions that this and agriculture are virtually the only forms of exporting Australia undertakes.

These sectors are undoubtedly very important components of our economy, I'm here today to emphasise a much under-acknowledge, yet hugely significant contributor to both the ACT's and Australia's international success – service exports.

Services now make up two-thirds of the world economy. They are the fastest growing component of world trade, and the core drivers of economic growth, development and employment around the globe.

It was only just recently that I made an address here in Canberra to the Australian Services Roundtable, so it gives me great pleasure to continue to stress the vital importance about Australia's services export capabilities and success.

There has been some dispute about what services are – and what they are not. 'The Economist' magazine deftly provided the answer to this question by describing services – somewhat tongue-in-cheek – as 'things you cannot drop on your foot.'

But however you describe them, services certainly matter to Australia. They account for 73 per cent of our GDP, and our services exports were worth some $53 billion in 2008-09 – a rise of more than 5 per cent on the previous year.

The growth areas were professional services, worth $3.7 billion, up over 12 per cent on the previous year, and education services, worth $16.6 billion, up more than 22 per cent on the year before.

The United States is our largest single market for services exports, as well as our most diverse.

Australia's services exports to the US in 2008-09 topped $5.8 billion, which was increase of more than 6 per cent on the previous twelve months.

And services exports to China, our second biggest market, brought in $5.7 billion, a huge 15.7 per cent rise on the previous year.

The ACT stands out amongst all Australian states and territories for the extent to which services dominate its export make-up.

It's noteworthy that the ACT's service sector accounted for 98.9 per cent (or $1.014 billion) of the Territories total exports in 2008/09 and almost 2% of Australia's total service exports.¹

More specifically, a number of ACT services companies have been punching well and truly above their weight in the export game.

For example, I note the success of a finalist in the Small Business Award category of the Australian Export Awards, Recruitment Systems, which since 2001 has grown to successfully work with around 200 separate recruitment industry clients to substantially improve their everyday workflow in key markets such as China, the Middle East and South East Asia.

Another award winning local services company of note is software document management developer Intelledox. Starting as a small IT consulting firm, called DPM Consulting, creating bespoke software solutions for government and corporate clients in Canberra, Intelledox has now grown to be a truly international software business selling its products around Australia and to North America, the UK, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, Papua New Guinea and South Africa.

Without doubt, the education sector warrants special mention in the ACT exporter context.

The fact that education services make up the largest source of exports from the ACT is a testament to the quality of the educational institutions in this city, with the Australian National University (ANU), University of Canberra (UC), Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), and Australian Catholic University (ACU), all playing their part in establishing the impressive international reputation of ACT's educational offering.

Of particular note is the standing of the ANU, which has been ranked number one in Australia, top in the southern hemisphere, and 17th in the world by the 'UK Times Higher Education Magazine' (2009).

The University is also ranked number one in the southern hemisphere by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Institute of Higher Education (2009).

It's worth emphasising the much under recognised role educational institutions can play in fostering closer international relationships, both in a business and political context.

I'd like to mention here that the Australian Government supports services exporters in a number of practical ways.

The Export Markets Development Grants Scheme, for example, can be a big help.

This key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters encourages small and medium-sized businesses to develop exports markets.

I note that over the last several years an increasing number of ACT companies have taken advantage of the EMDG scheme, with 37 local firms receiving EMDG payments received in 2008/09, equivalent to $2m, which facilitated $18.8m of export sales. Figures to date for the 2009/10 financial year shows 47 recipients, equivalent to the value of $1.4m which has facilitated $32m in export sales.

In 2008-09, over 4,000 Australian businesses received EMDG funding, and 62 per cent of these companies were in the services industries.

In fact, services industry recipients received a total of $113.5 million worth of grants – and they, in turn, generated $2.6 billion in exports.

Australia's trade negotiations make an impact on services exporters, too.

Because services are so important to Australia's growth and our economic future, we are keen to see an agreement reached at the multilateral level on services trade.

This is a position Australia expressed strongly at the Global Services Summit in Washington late last year.

Australia also has a number of Free Trade Agreements which help services exporters.

I'll briefly mention a couple of small, but specific examples, where a Free Trade Agreement has helped a services sector.

Under the historic FTA between the ten ASEAN nations and Australia and New Zealand, which began on January 1st this year, Australian lawyers can now extend their working periods in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

And this Free Trade Agreement has also allowed Indonesian and Vietnamese law firms to have Australian lawyers working within their practices.

The Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement allows Australian companies to compete in the US market on equal terms with local businesses in most service sectors, including professional, education, business, environmental and transport services.

A major beneficiary of the FTA between Australia and the US has been our defence export industry exemplified by ACT firm CEA, whose President David Gaul has been made a 2010 National Export Hero.

We are constantly looking at new ways to help our exporters, so I want to tell you something about the work being done to enhance our national image.

We Australians already have a national image, of course, and it's by no means a bad one.

Ask people around the world what comes to mind when they think of Australia and you'll hear that we are friendly, bathed in sunshine, and are lucky enough to have an unspoiled, natural environment.

All true. But we are much more than that.

Australia is a global participant on the world stage, and we make major contributions in many areas – from the shape and development of the G20 to work on nuclear non-proliferation.

We need to market ourselves better. Australia is a global participant on the world stage.

We have made many important advancements in technology which have benefitted others - WiFi technology, the bionic ear and a vaccine for cervical cancer.

We should be better regarded as a dynamic and creative nation, a good global citizen and a strong business partner.

And our creative sector has notched up many significant achievements, well beyond what you would expect from a nation of 22 million people.

But these successes are not always widely known.

Our national reputation – our national brand – needs to be updated to reflect the reality of our society, our economy and our culture.

And that is what we are doing – updating our brand – with a four-year $20 million dollar program to sell Australia to the world.

Australia's new brand – Australia Unlimited – was launched in Australia by the Minister for Trade, Simon Crean.

Our new brand is aimed at taking us beyond tourism messages.

It will deliver a national brand for Australia through a consistent image and consistent message.

It is about positioning Australia for the 21st century and about showing Australia as what it is – a country of innovation with a diverse, multi-faceted, multi-cultural society which can produce excellent goods and services and export them to the world.

Australia's new brand will be critical for our services industries.

Services, by their very nature, are more affected by how they are perceived than products such as iron ore or wheat.

One could say that image matters more where perception is a key driver for acceptance and sales.

Unquestionably, an up-to-date brand for our country – a brand which is more widely known around the world and which better reflects our reality – can only help all of our exporters.

It is noteworthy Australia Unlimited was launched internationally just last week by the Minister Crean, at the Shanghai World Expo.

I note with interest that also last week, the ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, launched to much fanfare the ACT's ACTuality web site as part of the ACT's contribution to the Expo.

This site is something Canberran's should justifiably be proud about.

Let me conclude by reminding you that the Australian Trade Commission – Austrade – can help you to export your services.

Austrade's specialists can assist you in selecting an export market and help you to develop a market strategy.

They are there to provide specialist coaching, opportunity matching, and industry specific advice.

And in market, they can advise you when you are visiting a new market, support you when you are on-the-ground far from home, and arrange for you to take part in trade missions to open up new parts of the world to what you have to offer.

Thank you.