Speech at the 2007 Australian Export Awards Launch

2 May 2007, Sydney

Introduction

Thank you Peter, (O’Byrne, MC, Austrade)

Our host today, Rob Douglas (ResMed)
Angus Armour from EFIC, our event sponsor hosts
Greg Evans, (ACCI)
Members of the business and export communities
Previous Australian Export Awards winners and finalists
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen …

I am honoured to be here at the premises of ResMed, 2006 DHL Australian Exporter of the Year, to launch the 45^th Australian Export Awards.

It is fitting that we are in the Norwest Business Park – one of Sydney’s largest technology parks – and home to some of Western Sydney’s most innovative companies. I am sure you will agree ResMed’s headquarters, including the research and administration building, opened in February by the Prime Minister and Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty, is a most impressive facility. It is no surprise that ResMed maintains such an enviable position as world-leading producers of medical equipment for the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing and respiratory insufficiency. Their Australian designed and manufactured products are improving the quality of life for many thousands of people around the world, and offer an excellent example of how Australia’s strengths in advanced manufacturing can translate into outstanding export success.

The continuing growth of business innovation in Sydney’s west – often built on export – never fails to impress me. This afternoon I also had the opportunity to visit the offices of the global children’s entertainment phenomenon ‘The Wiggles’, 2005 DHL Australian Exporter of the Year, here in the Norwest Business Park. The Wiggles represent a remarkable Australian export success story, matching creativity with smart strategies to create a sophisticated international business. Over 80% of their business is focused on exports, and I understand they now have a Chinese speaking and Spanish speaking Wiggles cast, to further grow their presence in China and in Latin America respectively.

I also had the opportunity to visit the offices of ADInstruments – another resident of the Norwest Business Park – and a world leading supplier of instruments for the life sciences industry. Staff numbers have grown from 40 to 100 in only five years, and 95% of their products are exported. ADInstruments was a NSW Export Awards winner in 2005.

All of these companies demonstrate just how far Australian exports have come since the first Australian Export Awards event in 1963.

Australian business talent is now reaching more markets than ever before, expanding the range and sophistication of goods and services we supply to the world, and continuing to set ever-higher benchmarks in export performance. Exports reached new heights in 2006 to reach $210 billion – up 16 per on the previous year’s record of $176.7 billion. Importantly, manufacturing exports grew 14 per cent to $42.1 billion – another all time high. Services exports also expanded by 8 per cent to $43.8 billion – yet another record. And despite the drought, regional exporters managed to achieve 6 per cent growth.

To put the contribution of last year’s Export Awards’ participants in perspective, all finalists generated export earnings that contributed more than $12.5 billion to the Australian economic success story. They also directly employed more than 36,000 people.

The diverse mix of businesses on the 2006 honour roll is also a great indicator of the broad-based strengths of the Australian economy.

Winners last year included film post production company ‘Rising Sun Pictures’, resources giant ‘Rio Tinto Iron Ore’, and of course, 2006 DHL Australian Exporter of the Year, our hosts today, ‘ResMed’.

Expanding Opportunity

In an era of record exports, the Government is working to lay the groundwork for even greater international business success, through the most ambitious trade liberalisation agenda by any government in Australia’s history.

With the Doha round of WTO negotiations resuming, reform of the multilateral trading system remains Australia’s highest trade policy priority.

We also remain focused on improving market access for Australian companies through bilateral free trade agreements, where deeper and faster gains can be achieved than through multilateral negotiations.

Australia now has four world-class Free Trade Agreements in priority markets, such as the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) and the Thailand Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), both of which came into effect on January 1 2005. To offer some perspective on the importance of Australia’s Free Trade Agreements, 70 out of all 83 finalists last year were doing business in our FTA markets!

FTA negotiations are also underway with Japan, the nations of ASEAN and New Zealand, Malaysia, and of course China – the world's fastest-growing major economy.

Helping Australian Exporters Capture the Gains

The Government is doing more than ever before to help our exporters succeed internationally, and turn trade policy wins into jobs and prosperity:

In the US, Austrade now has unprecedented reach in 19 cities, including eight specialist industry teams in-market.
We are extending the Export Market Development Grants scheme until the end of 2010-11, allowing businesses to plan their ongoing export promotions with greater certainty – 49 finalists in last year’s Awards had received financial support under the EMDG scheme.
The Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, EFIC, continues to provide finance and insurance services to help Australian exporters and last year supported $626 million of exports and overseas investments. Last year EFIC launched their new Headway product which helps small to medium sized exporters access additional working capital.
The Government will also spend $23.3 million to continue the successful TradeStart program which, since 2002, has helped over 1600 new exporters in regional Australia achieve export sales worth more than $650 million. Half of all Export Awards entrants last year were from regional areas.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen, while the Government can offer a framework of support, it is up to individual companies, and the people within them, to make global headway and ensure Australian business talent makes its mark on the world stage.

Recognising the achievements of our most outstanding exporters is the reason we are all here today.

The 2007 Australian Export Awards program will celebrate the companies that promote Australia as a progressive member of the international business community, and make a vital contribution to the economic health and prosperity all Australians enjoy.

Across the country last year, 489 companies entered, and each year the number of entries continues to grow. I would like to congratulate previous winners here today for their efforts, and thank state and territory organisers and sponsors for their ongoing support. I would especially like to thank sponsors of the 12 Australian Export Award categories and the Exporter of the Year Award, who deserve special recognition for their commitment to raising the profile of exporting in Australia, and of course, our hosts today ResMed, and event sponsor host EFIC.

In closing, I encourage all companies thinking of exporting their products and services to enter the 2007 Australian Export Awards, and emulate the exceptional achievements of previous winners. In doing so, you will be helping to ensure that Australia’s economic prosperity – admired the world over – goes from strength to strength.

Thank you.

Ends