| MEDIA RELEASE
THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR TRADE |  |
20 August, 1996
TR 57
1996 FEDERAL BUDGET - BOOST FOR REGIONAL EXPORT EFFORT
Exporters in regional Australia, especially northern Australia, will receive a much-needed boost in Austrade export services as a result of the 1996 Federal Budget, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Tim Fischer, said today.
"In a new program, Austrade will improve the access of regional exporters to its services through new offices and new services," Mr Fischer said.
"This will include the opening of two new Austrade offices in Queensland - at Cairns and Rockhampton.
"The existing Austrade office in Darwin will be upgraded and be given a particular focus of doing business in the BIMP-EAGA markets," Mr Fischer said.
Austrade will also upgrade its representation in South-East Queensland, and in Newcastle and Wollongong.
"If Australia is to foster a meaningful export culture within the small and medium-sized business sectors, it is vital that it include the many potential export businesses in the regional areas of Australia," Mr Fischer said.
"To become successful exporters, these businesses need the same sort of information and guidance as a business in a major city. Regional Australia has too often been ignored in this regard, yet it is essential to Australia's future economic well-being.
"We recognised that in our trade policy before the election, and this Budget measure is the practical delivery of that commitment."
Austrade's regional trade commission offices will be equipped with additional information technology services to better provide information on exporting and market opportunities.
Details of the regionalisation program will be contained in the announcement of a restructure of Austrade's domestic operations, later this month.
Supermarket to Asia
The Government will also spend $3.4 million a year over the next three years to implement its Supermarket to Asia strategy.
Its job will be to substantially improve the international competitiveness of the Australian food industry to fully capture the opportunities in Asia and elsewhere for quality food.
Given the nature of this industry, much of the activity generated by this program will be in regional Australia.
BIMP-EAGA: Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Economic Growth Area.