19 April 1995
McMULLAN TO LEAD TRADE MISSION TO SAUDI ARABIA, TURKEY, BAHRAIN AND INDONESIA
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bahrain and Indonesia are the destinations for the Minister for Trade, Senator Bob McMullan, when he leaves tomorrow on a two week trade development mission accompanied by senior Australian business leaders.
Senator McMullan will visit Saudi Arabia from 21-24 April, Turkey from 24-28 April, Bahrain from 28-29 April, and Indonesia from 30 April-2 May.
"It is time for Australia to complement traditional commodity exports to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain with exports of manufactures and services," Senator McMullan said today.
"To do this, we must raise awareness in these markets of our capabilities as a competitive and dependable trading partner in many sectors.
"The business delegation accompanying me on this visit is representative of Australia's value-added growth industries, and indicative of Australia's strengths in manufactures, services, and commodities.
"One particular area of focus will be on Australia's potential as a provider of education services to the region.
"While in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, I will seek views on the regional economic and political outlook, particularly as they affect Indian Ocean Rim initiatives.
"I will also be promoting Australia as a stable and highly desirable investment option."
In Turkey, Senator McMullan and the Turkish State Minister, Nafiz Kurt, will co-host the third meeting of the Australia-Turkey Joint Economic Committee (JEC).
Senator McMullan will hold a series of discussions with the Turkish business community, and host a seminar for senior executives in Istanbul, the financial centre of Turkey. As the visit to Turkey coincides with ANZAC Day, Senator McMullan will take part in the 80th Anniversary Gallipoli commemorations.
The Bahrain leg of the visit is primarily for the Minister and the business delegation to establish contacts with government officials and business leaders to foster the growing trade relationship between the two countries.
"It is my first visit to Bahrain as Trade Minister, and an opportunity to seek to expand the range of our exports to Bahrain, particularly in the services area," Senator McMullan said.
Senator McMullan said his visit to Indonesia will further reinforce the burgeoning bilateral economic relationship.
"Over the last year, our relationship with Indonesia has been enhanced by the Australia Today Indonesia promotion, the second Australia-Indonesia Ministerial Forum meeting, and Indonesia's contribution to the National Trade and Investment Outlook Conference in Melbourne.
"Other than meetings with senior Indonesian ministers, the major event of this visit is the 22nd Indonesia-Australia Joint Business Conference, which I will be addressing.
"The Conference will be attended by 50 Australian business people.
"I will also be launching the Market Australia campaign to Indonesian government and business leaders, and media representatives."
Indonesia is one of the four target markets of the Market Australia campaign. The campaign's aim is to promote Australia as a supplier of sophisticated goods and services.
Further information:
Senator McMullan's office: John Flannery, (06) 277 7420
DFAT: Gai Brodtmann, (06) 261 3214
**Program details and a list of business delegates are attached.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Saudi Arabia
Senator McMullan will lead a delegation of ten Australian business leaders on his second visit to Saudi Arabia in 12 months. The business delegation - with representatives from the banking, finance, health, shipbuilding, education, resource and corporate services industries - will also accompany Senator McMullan to Bahrain.
With exports in 1993-94 valued at some $340 million, Saudi Arabia is now Australia's second largest market in the Arabian Peninsula, and the third largest overall in the Middle East.
Australian trade with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, as with all the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Oman), is characterised by the dominance of a relatively small number of key commodity exports such as wheat, meat and live animals (especially sheep), dairy products, barley and coal.
Turkey
In Turkey, Senator McMullan will be joined by representatives from the Australian education, mining, resource, agriculture and health sectors. The focus of the visit is to strengthen the bilateral commercial relationship and build on strong relations with the Turkish Government and business.
Senator McMullan will also be part of the Australian delegation at Gallipoli on 25 April.
Bahrain
As the visit to Bahrain is the first by Senator McMullan as Minister for Trade, he will focus on establishing contact with key Ministers and decision makers and exploring the opportunities for expanding the range and type of exports to Bahrain, particularly in the services sector.
During his two day visit, Senator McMullan will sign the bilateral Air Services Agreement and extend an invitation to the Bahrain Minister for Commerce and Agriculture to co-chair the 5th Australia-Bahrain Joint Ministerial Commission to be hosted by Australia in October.
Indonesia
Senator McMullan will address the 22nd Joint Conference of the Australia-Business Council (AIBC) and the Indonesia-Australia Business Council (IABC). A large contingent of Indonesian business people and at least 50 representatives of Australian companies involved in business with Indonesia are expected to attend the conference. Three Indonesian Ministers are also expected to address the conference.
Senator McMullan will also meet with key Indonesian trade and economic Ministers, and launch the Indonesian component of the Market Australia campaign.
BUSINESS DELEGATIONS
SAUDI ARABIA, BAHRAIN AND TURKEY
Mr Ibrahim Fahoum, Arab Bank Australia Ltd
Mr Yoshio Kotani, BHP - Australia Coal
Mr Barry Gallagher, BHP Steel Pty Ltd
Mr Kirkor Papazyan, BHP - Australia Coal
Mr Leigh Hobba, Australian Education Abroad
Mr Peter Risk, Seapac International
Ms Jennifer Hutchison, Hutchison Corporate Services Pty Ltd
Mr Joe Toms, Seapac International
Mr Chris Motton, Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce
Mr Tony Epstein, Australian Construction Services, DAS
Mr Michael Parsons, Health Insurance Commission
Mr John Congrave, Commonwealth Bank
Mr Peter Solomon, International Resource Consultants
Mr Roger Craddick, Normandy Poseidon
Mr Graham Storah, ASC Shipbuilding Pty Ltd
Mr Peter Wynne, AMLC
Mr Bill Streat, IDP Education Australia
Dr Hugh Middleton, Commonwealth Serum Laboratories
Mr Alain Tessier, QADRANT Pty Ltd
Mr Myles Stewart-Hesketh, Nufarm Limited
Mr Peter Wynne, AMLC
Mr Graham Storer, ASC Submarine Corporation
plus representatives of DFAT and Austrade
Mr Bill Streat, IDP Education Australia
Mr John Donnon, MERSIN
Dr Brian Cook, Griffith University
Mr Tony Ashford, BMCH
Mr Michael Parsons, Health Insurance Commission
plus representatives from SA Department of Primary Industries, DEET, EFIC, DFAT and Austrade